Emerald Lantern
by Sil Vaturha 98
Summary: Erica West was Wally's cousin and Hal Jordan's sidekick. Having come back from boot camp on Oa for Independence Day, she never expected that she would end up forming a team with some of her old friends. Nor did she expect that one day she would have to reveal her secret. (VariousxOC)
1. Chapter 1

She flew back onto Earth beside Hal, her mentor. It had been a few weeks since she'd been on her home planet, she'd been stuck on Oa due to an advanced boot camp with Kilowog. Her real name was Erica West, cousin of Wally West, and she couldn't wait to see her friends; Robin, Aqualad, and Speedy along with her cousin. It'd be nice to get the old gang back together. She spun onto her back to look at her mentor, "So, what's so important that you had to rush Kilowog through my last day of boot camp? Not that I'm complaining, but it is rather curious."

Hal chuckled, "What makes you think I didn't just miss my old sidekick?" She gave him a look. "Look, today's an important day for the other sidekicks and they've been asking when you'd get to come back so you could be there with them. They're going to enter the Hall of Justice."

"Why is that a big deal when they know about the Watchtower," she asked confused.

"Well, um," he began, "the Hall of Justice is the first step to entering the Watchtower." She nodded in understanding, his logic seemed legit, and watched as the Hall of Justice approached, the heads of her friends in sight.

"Oh, man," she heard Kid Flash exclaim. "I knew we'd be the last ones here."

She looked at Hal as they began to land, "You didn't tell me there was a race."

Wally turned around, "Emerald! You're here!" He ran and hugged her. "I can't believe it."

She laughed, "Come now, coz. Why would I miss such an important day? Now come on, we have a Hall of Justice to explore."

The other sidekicks smiled and they began to walk toward the Hall. Robin bumped Emerald's arm with his own, "Nice to see you again, Emerald. It's been too long."

"Agreed," Aqualad nodded. "I'm glad we're all here."

"Have all 5 sidekicks ever been in the same place at the same time," Kid Flash asked.

"Don't call us sidekicks," Speedy snapped, "not after today."

Emerald nudged his arm and flipped her red, braided hair over her shoulder, "Give him a break. It's our first time at the Hall. He's probably overwhelmed."

Kid Flash began trying to deny it and Robin sighed, "You're overwhelmed, Freeze was underwhelmed. Why isn't anyone just whelmed?"

She rolled her eyes, "Still butchering the English language, I see." He smirked at her as they entered, to see the statues of the original Justice League members. "Well, that doesn't scream egotistic."

Tourists were still taking photos as some elevator doors opened and Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado stepped out, "Robin, Speedy, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Emerald Lantern, welcome." He turned and began to walk back into the elevator followed by the others. What was the point of coming out of it? "You now have unlimited access to the gym, our fully stocked galley, and of course the library."

Emerald smiled as she looked around. Sure there had been books on Oa, but she had hardly had any free time and when she did she was busy napping. When Flash gestured at the room for them to make themselves comfortable she flew over to the bookshelves and began scanning for a book she hadn't already read, ignoring the conversation their mentors were having.

She began to reach for a book when Speedy spoke, "That's it?" She looked over, her domino mask shifting with her face as she raised an eyebrow. The heroes seemed confused as well at his outburst. "You promised us a real look inside, not a glorified backstage pass."

"It's a first step," Aquaman replied. "You've been granted access few others get."

"Oh, really," Speedy gestured at the glass window that had tourists taking pictures. She looked up and waved, earning a few winks from some young men. "Who cares which side of the glass we're on?"

"Roy, you just need to be patient," Green Arrow stepped forward.

Speedy glared at him, "What I need is respect."

Emerald put the book back, "Speedy, what is this really about?"

He looked at her, his glare softening, "They're treating us like kids. Worse-like sidekicks! We deserve better than this." Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad looked at each other and Emerald stepped forward, her face filled with concern. "You're kidding right? You're playing their game? Why? Today was supposed to be _the_ day, step one in becoming full-fledged members of the league."

"Well, sure," Kid Flash looked at his cousin and friends, "but I thought step one was a tour of the HQ." Emerald frowned and looked at Hal, something wasn't making any sense.

"Except the Hall isn't the League's _real_ HQ," Speedy snapped causing everyone to look at him. "I bet they never told you it's just a false front for tourists and a pit stop for catching zeta beam teleporter tubes to the real thing, an orbiting satellite called the Watchtower."

Emerald looked at her mentor, "I thought you said they knew about it."

He sighed, "It's supposed to be a secret, Emerald."

She crossed her arms over her chest and turned away as the others continued to argue. How could Hal lie to her? She traveled to frontier space with him and he betrayed her like that, what was her world coming to? Her eyes traveled back to Speedy as he took off his hat and threw it on the ground, everyone was looking at him in shock, "Guess they're right about you four. You're not ready."

She held out a hand as he walked out but he ignored her and she put it down. Speedy had been the first sidekick to befriend her and he encouraged her to never give up on mastering her constructs. Now he was walking out and it felt like a bit of her world had crumbled just a bit more than it had when she found out Hal had lied. As the door shut she could hear an alarm start up and Superman's voice come over the radio. She turned and looked at the heroes as she approached with Robin and the others.

Batman looked at them, "Stay put."

"What? Why," Robin asked, taking the lead.

"This is a League mission," Aquaman stated, putting his hands on his waist.

"You're not trained," Flash added.

She glared at them, "Since when?"

Everyone looked at her, "I meant you're not trained to work as part of this team."

Aquaman gave her a comforting look, "There will be other missions when you're ready."

"But for now, stay put," Batman concluded. It was really freaky when they were able to finish each other's thoughts. They began to leave and she felt her shoulders sink, although she could hear Hal trying to plead her case, probably to make it up to her about lying. Tornado looked at them before turning to follow his fellow League members out, the door closing behind him.

"When we're ready," Kid Flash asked. "How are we ever supposed to be ready when they treat us like-like sidekicks?" She shrugged and looked down at the ground.

Aqualad looked to the side, "My mentor, my king, I thought he trusted me."

Kid Flash gave him a look, "Trust? They don't even trust us with the basics! They've got a secret HQ in space!"

She looked up through her lashes, "I thought you guys knew about the Watchtower, that's what Hal told me. I can't believe he lied."

Her cousin put a hand on her shoulder as Aqualad looked at them, "What else aren't they telling us?"

Robin looked down, "I have a better question. Why didn't we leave with Speedy?" They all looked down, it was a good question.

"What is Project Cadmus," Aqualad asked, the first one to look up.

Robin looked up, "Don't know, but I can find out." He went over to the computer and began typing. She came up and looked at him with a raised brow as he began hacking into the system. He glanced at her, "What? It's the same system as the Batcave. All right. Project Cadmus. Genetics lab here in D.C. That's all there is, but if Batman's suspicious, maybe we should investigate."

Emerald smiled as Aqualad sighed, "But they said stay put."

"For the blotting out the sun mission, not this," Robin pointed out.

Emerald nudged Aqualad, "Besides, _I'm_ a Green Lantern. They can't prevent me from stopping anything that could harm anyone in this sector and I _can_ bring some people to help out."

"Wait. Are you two going to Cadmus," Wally asked her and Robin. "Because if you're going, I'm going."

Aqualad looked at the smiling trio, "Just like that we're a team on a mission?"

"We didn't come for a play date," Robin replied. They shared a smile and left the building.

Emerald laughed as her cousin slipped and then yelled at the firefighters for getting his name wrong. It was hilarious at how easily bothered he was. She cupped her hands over her mouth as she stood by Aqualad and Robin, "Come now, K.F, it's not like they're calling you something embarrassing."

"We need a plan," Aqualad began. "We- Robin?" She looked over as Robin used the fire truck to get into Cadmus where he pulled Kid Flash up.

She shrugged, "This team thing is going _great_ so far." Aqualad ran over to the firefighters and took the water from the hose as she flew up to the scientists and created a platform for them. "All aboard!" They didn't waste any time getting on and she lowered them to the ground, joining Aqualad on the window sill. "Well, that was fun."

They jumped in and Aqualad looked at Robin, "Appreciate the help."

"You two handled it," the boy wonder replied. Emerald rolled her eyes and looked at her cousin who was flipping through some files as Aqualad began to walk around. "Besides, we're here to investigate. Poetic justice, remember?"

She walked over to Aqualad, who had stopped to look at something down the hall. He narrowed his eyes, "There was something in the-"

"Elevators should be locked down," Kid Flash interrupted. Emerald smacked him upside the head.

Robin ran past them, "This is wrong." He pulled up a holographic computer on one of his gauntlets. "Thought so. This is a high-speed, express elevator. It doesn't belong in a two-story building."

"Neither does what I saw," Aqualad commented. He walked over and forced the doors open. She walked over, ducked under the Atlantean's arm, and looked down the shaft. That was a long way down.

"That's why they need the express elevator," she commented. Robin attached his grappling hook to the top of the shaft and began going down. Aqualad grabbed on and began sliding down, followed by Kid Flash. She shrugged and began flying down after them, her ring's light illuminating the shaft. Her ring flashed twice and she looked at it. Dang it, she knew she should've charged it before leaving Oa, it was at 30%.

She caught up just as Aqualad jumped onto the side, beside Robin. He pulled open the doors as soon as Robin got pass security, "You guys do know that I can create a construct to open the doors, right?" They looked at her as if she was speaking another language. "Boys."

They looked down the hall, which was a little dark, and Emerald put her feet on the ground as Robin spoke, "Welcome to Project Cadmus."

Kid Flash began to run down the hall with Aqualad calling after him. Emerald sighed as she flew after him, stopping when she saw the giant creatures that almost crushed her cousin. He ran back over to their side and Emerald looked down at her ring as it scanned one, "Creature: Unidentified."

"That's strange," she whispered. "The ring knows what the Guardians know and the Guardians know everything. Whatever these creatures are, they aren't natural."

"No," Aqualad began sarcastically. "Nothing odd going on here." The creatures walked on, as if they were nothing more than miniscule pests. She narrowed her eyes, what was Cadmus up to?

Robin opened a door as the others stood guard, "Okay, I'm officially whelmed."

Emerald looked over her shoulder to see some strange creatures in tubes generating electricity. She walked over to one and looked in, it kind of looked like an overgrown firefly. Her cousin walked past, "This is how they hide this massive underground facility from the world. The real Cadmus isn't on the grid. It generates its own power with these…things. Must be what they're bred for."

"Even the name is a clue," Aqualad looked at Emerald who had come up beside him. "The Cadmus of myth created a new race by sowing dragons' teeth into the earth."

"And this Cadmus creates new life too," Robin added. Emerald nodded and looked at the creatures. How many different species were there in this building? What was the purpose of creating them? It didn't make sense. She looked over at Robin who began to plug into the computer system. At least someone else was curious about that. "They call them Genomorphs. Whoa! Look at the stats on these things- super strength, telepathy, razor claws. These are living weapons!"

She looked over his shoulder, "They're engineering an army, but for who?"

"Wait," Robin began looking further into the files. "There's something else. Project Kr. Ugh! The file's triple-encrypted. I can't-"

"Don't move," someone shouted. She turned to look over at whoever spoke with her friends. A man with a golden helmet came over with several Genomorphs. The creatures growled at them as they took positions, prepared to attack. "Wait. Robin, Aqualad, Emerald Lantern, Kid Flash?"

Robin smiled at K.F, not bothering to break away from the files, "At least he got your name right."

Aqualad looked at the man, "I know you. Guardian, a hero."

"I do my best," Guardian replied. Emerald frowned as she looked at the man. Something was off about this situation.

"Then what are you doing here," Kid asked.

Guardian shrugged, "I'm chief of security. You're trespassing, but we can call the Justice League, figure this out."

Emerald glanced at Robin, as if to tell him to hurry with whatever he was doing. He nodded and Wally continued to speak for them, "You think the League's going to approve of you breeding weapons?"

"Weapons? What are you- What have I- ugh," Guardian put a hand to his helmet as the Genomorph on his shoulder looked at him with glowing red horns. "My head." She was about to summon a construct to move the Genomorph away when Guardian looked at them with resolve in his eyes, "Take them down hard! No mercy!"

Her eyes widened as the Genomorphs sprang into action. She created a glowing fist and punched one away from her as Robin dropped a smoke pellet. She flew up above the smoke and punched another away before following Robin over to an elevator. Creating a green barrier between her and the creatures, "Aqualad, get into the elevator, I'll be right there."

He nodded and got in with the other two. She dropped the barrier and blasted herself in, creating another barrier which got smaller as the doors closed. Her breath came out in short pants, she was still tired from boot camp. She only glanced up when Kid Flash yelled at Robin for taking them further underground. Robin glared at him, "Excuse me? Project Kr, it's down on sublevel 52."

"This is out of control," Aqualad rubbed the back of his head. "Perhaps- perhaps we should contact the League." She glanced at the doors as they opened with a beep into a strange hallway filled with weird bumps and pink bubble like things. What did they do here?

Robin was the first one out, Emerald flew after him, they should at least try to stick together. She looked down the two hallways, it seemed strange and bizarre. Which way to go? She was about to use her ring when it flashed twice and she turned to see a strange man with horns, "Halt!"

Her eyes widened as his horns glowed and some barrels flew at them. She created a baseball bat and smacked one away, the other exploded against the wall above them, "Well, I guess we have no choice. Bizarre-looking hallway two it is."

The boys nodded and they ran down the hall, another barrel exploding behind them. A metal door, labeled Project Kr, opened and a female scientist exited. She created a construct to keep the door open, Wally nodded at her and gestured for them to enter, "Hurry."

She flew in with the others and let the construct fade as soon as they were all in. Her feet touched the ground as her ring flashed twice. She was down to 25%. Robin looked at them, "I disabled the door. We're safe."

"We're trapped," Aqualad corrected.

"Uh, guys," Kid called from a console. "You'll want to see this." He pressed a button and a light turned on in a pod. Emerald looked at the boy in the pod, he sort of looked like a younger version of Superman, accented by the red 's' on his white suit. Kr was written on the glass pod. Wally walked up to the pod, "Big 'K,' little 'r,' the atomic symbol for Krypton. Clone?"

Aqualad looked at the boy wonder, "Robin, hack."

"Right, right," he nodded, plugging into the computer. "Weapon designation Superboy, a clone force-grown in… 16 weeks? From DNA acquired from Superman."

"Stolen from Superman," Aqualad corrected.

Emerald looked at the boy, "No way the big guy knows about this."

"Solar suit allows him to absorb yellow sun radiation 24/7," Robin continued. "And the creatures… Genomorph gnomes, telepathic, force-feeding him an education."

"And we can guess what else," Kid stated. "They're making a slave out of, well, Superman's son."

She walked over to the pod as the others tried to contact the League. Already she could tell that they were in too deep to contact anyone on the outside. She looked up at the creatures that were teaching him as their horns glowed, there was a bad feeling in her stomach. Robin looked over, "We can't leave him like this."

"Set him free," Aqualad stated before looking at the youngest of them. "Do it." Emerald narrowed her eyes at the creatures, what were they doing? The pod opened and Superboy's hand moved, clenching into a fist. His blue eyes snapped open and without warning he punched her, sending her across the cave and into the wall before she had a chance to raise a construct. Her head snapped back and hit the wall and she blacked out.


	2. Chapter 2

Kid Flash gasped as he woke up as he had been commanded by the strange voice. Superboy stood in front of them with hard eyes. He looked to his left and noticed Emerald still asleep in a pod. Did the strange voice not speak to her? He looked back at Superboy, "What? What-what do you want?" Superboy only narrowed his eyes. "Quit staring. You're creeping me out."

"Uh, KF," Robin began, "how about we not tick off the guy who can fry us with a look?"

"We only sought to help you," Aqualad said to Superboy.

Wally looked over at his cousin worriedly, "Yeah. We free you and you turn on us. How's that for grat-"

"Kid, please, be quiet now," Aqualad interrupted. "I believe our new friend was not in full control of his actions."

Superboy looked down, "Wha-what if I…What if I wasn't?"

"He can talk," Wally asked.

"Yes, _he_ can," Superboy looked up at him, his hand curled into a fist. Emerald groaned slightly in her sleep and they all looked over, but she remained unconscious.

Aqualad looked back at Superboy, talking to him reassuringly but Kid Flash was only partially paying attention, worried about his cousin. He had never seen her out like this, but her ring was still on her finger so that had to be a good sign. The doors opened, "No, they can't. They'll be otherwise occupied." He looked over to see two scientists and Guardian all with those Genomorph gnomes on their shoulders. "Activate the cloning process."

"Pass," Robin shouted. "Batcave's crowded enough."

"And get the weapon back in its pod," the man who originally spoke yelled at Guardian. Kid Flash watched the interaction between Superboy and the scientist with interest. It didn't last long as the G-gnome hopped off of his shoulder and onto Superboy's horns glowing. Superboy stiffened and turned, following the scientist's orders to get into his pod. He nodded at the other scientist and then these things came out and interested themselves into his chest. All he felt was pain.

He looked over to see the things trying to break past a glowing green light that surrounded Emerald's body, protecting her. He definitely had to get himself a Green Lantern ring. The next thing he knew Superboy was ripping the door out of the wall and the pain stopped. The boy shoved the three humans and one Genomorph-person-thing, out of the way and looked at the male scientist, "Don't give me orders."

"You here to help us or fry us," Kid Flash asked when he stood in front of them.

Superboy narrowed his eyes, "Huh, I don't seem to have heat vision, so I suppose helping is my only option."

Robin unlocked his restraints and hopped out of the pod. He rubbed his wrists, "Ahh. Finally! Lucky Batman isn't here. He'd have my head for taking so long."

"Seriously, that's what you're worried about," Kid Flash asked. "The whole League will have our heads after tonight and Emerald is still out cold." Robin pressed a button and the other three pods were opened.

"Free Aqualad and Emerald, I'll get Kid Mouth," Robin said to Superboy.

"Don't you give me orders either," Superboy growled before moving over to the Atlantean. He destroyed the restraints easily, catching Aqualad as he slumped, before moving over to Emerald. As she slumped he caught her and passed her down to Aqualad.

Kid Flash zoomed over, "Is she gonna be alright?"

Aqualad put a hand on his shoulder, "She'll be fine, Kid, she just got hit a bit harder than the rest of us."

"Sorry about that," Superboy rubbed the back of his neck. Aqualad nodded and they began running, ignoring the scientists warning. Robin tossed a few batarangs, blowing up the pods and any trace of their DNA.

Emerald groaned and put a hand to her forehead. She looked around, they were in an elevator shaft, how strange. Her eyes widened when she spotted Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Superboy, "You know, I thought I was back in Kilowog's boot camp for a second."

Aqualad looked down at her, she was still in his arms, "It is good to see you are finally awake. We need-"

He broke off as the elevator began coming down. Emerald's eyes widened and she hopped out of his arms and forced open the elevator doors. They moved through, her barely making it before the elevator went past. She looked at the shaft, "Alright, you guys can explain when we're safe."

"An excellent plan," her cousin exclaimed as he looked at the Genomorphs that were coming towards them. They ran down a hallway with the Genomorphs not far behind.

"Go left! Left," Superboy shouted and Emerald didn't hesitate to obey, feeling like she was back at boot camp again. "Right!" They ended up at a dead end with a ventilation shaft.

Kid Flash looked at Superboy, "Great directions, Supey. You trying to get us re-podded?"

"No," he seemed deflated. "I, I don't understand."

Emerald looked at Robin as they both grinned and spoke in unison, "Don't apologize. This is perfect!"

"I hacked the motion sensors," Robin stated with a smug look after their escapade through the ventilation system.

"Nice job, Robin," she complimented with a smile. "But there's still plenty of them between us and the exit."

"But I've finally got room to move," Wally pulled down his goggles and began running up a set of stairs. Emerald shook her head and created a platform underneath their feet before flying up, dragging it behind her and staying close to her cousin. "Aw, come on, Em, you're ruining my game."

She rolled her eyes as he knocked over some Genomorphs coming down the stairs. As they flew up she occasionally took out some of the stairs below to make it more difficult for them to follow. She let them off at the top of the stairs, "Thank you for choosing, Lantern Flights."

They came out of the staircase as Kid Flash slammed against a metal door. Aqualad stopped a few feet from him, "We're cut off from the streets."

"Thanks," Wally rubbed the back of his head. "My head hadn't noticed." Aqualad and Superboy began trying to pull the doors open and Emerald created a construct to help pull them apart. They stopped and went through a side door when two large Genomorphs entered the hallway and stopped again when they realized they were cornered. Surrounded by Genomorphs on all sides. All the G-gnomes' horns began to glow and she fell to her knees, feeling weak and slightly dizzy.

There was a hiss and the dizziness passed. Her ring flashed twice, letting her know she was at 15%, what had happened while she was passed out? Superboy stood as the others sat up, "I. Choose. Freedom."

Guardian put a hand to his head, "Feels like…fog lifting."

The others stood, Aqualad helping her, "Guardian?"

"Go," he ordered. "I'll deal with Desmond."

"I think not," a voice stated. The Genomorphs parted allowing her to see a male scientist she assumed was Desmond. He held up a vial full of a blue liquid, "Project Blockbuster will give me the power to restore order to Cadmus." He poured it down his throat and Emerald took a step back, not liking where this was going. They watched in horror as he slowly became a grey creature with red and black eyes and large muscles. It roared and looked at them with a grin.

"Everyone back," Guardian ordered before charging at the beast. He was smacked away like he weighed nothing. Emerald watched as Superboy began punching it before he too was smacked away, only to get back up and charge at it again. The creature charged too and jumped, taking Superman's clone through the ceiling.

She flew up after them, soon joined by Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Robin. The creature threw Superboy towards them, plowing him into Aqualad. She ran over to them as it roared, the other sidekicks helping the two up. Kid Flash didn't waste any time in trying to run forward to attack, causing Emerald to want to facepalm. He slid under the creature's foot and Aqualad and Superboy both punched it, causing it to stumble back and trip over Kid Flash.

Robin threw some batarangs, which it deflected, and Emerald smacked it with a baseball bat. It roared at Superboy and grabbed him, pushing him into a column, and began to back out of reach of his punches. It punched him once and then both Aqualad and Emerald detained its free arm. Aqualad pulled himself to it and kicked it in the face before trying to hit it with a water mace. It caught the mace, breaking Emerald's construct, and threw the Atlantean to the side then it tossed Superboy into another column.

Emerald flew over to Robin as her cousin tried to attack, "We need a plan. Just randomly hitting it isn't doing anything."

The roof shook and began to crumble as the creature hit Aqualad again and Robin's eyes widened, "Of course. KF, get over here! Emerald, try and keep it distracted."

She nodded and flew at it, a large boxing glove forming around her hand. Her fist made contact with one side while Superboy hit the other just as it broke through Aqualad's shield. Superboy tried to put it in a headlock, but it simply smacked them all away. Her ring flashed twice, "I know you're low, but I can't stop now."

Emerald forced herself to stand as her cousin began to run around with the creature on his heels, breaking down one of the columns. Robin held out a digital reading of the building on his gauntlet, "Superboy, Aqualad, Emerald!" She turned towards him. "I need these two columns taken out. Emerald, I need you to create a construct to shield us from any falling debris."

"On it," she nodded. She watched them take the creature down and when they ran towards her, the other columns exploding causing the ceiling to collapse, she created a bubble around them. She closed her eyes and focused on the bubble as the debris landed on it, time and time again. Her arms began to shake when everything stopped with a loud boom. She let the bubble expand, moving the debris around them until it was clear of them.

Everyone else's clothes were torn but they all shared a look as if to congratulate each other. Emerald collapsed to her knees and waved her cousin off, she just needed to rest for a little. Kid Flash walked over to Superboy, "See? The moon." She looked up at it, noticing a small figure becoming visible. Superman. "Oh. And Superman. Do we keep our promises or what?"

She looked at her cousin, "When did we promise that?"

"Oh, right, you were unconscious during that," he rubbed the back of his neck. They both looked back at the sky to see the rest of the Justice League appear. The members flew down, in one way or another, to surround them. She looked at Hal and he turned away, as if to tell her he will have no part in what's about to happen.

Superboy walked toward Superman and lifted up the torn edge of his solar suit to reveal the symbol on his chest. Superman's eyes widened and then hardened, ruining Superboy's hopeful expression. Batman looked at Superboy, "Is that what I think it is?"

Emerald put a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged her off and released the solar suit, "I'm Superman's clone."

Everyone looked shocked and looked at each other. Batman looked at the sidekicks and then narrowed his eyes, "Start talking."

Robin explained while Hal came over and handed Emerald a lantern. She smiled at him and took it, putting her ring on the glass and began speaking the oath. The lantern flashed and she smiled, her ring was fully charged. Hal put a hand on her shoulder, "So, I see you're taking the Green Lantern duty seriously. I'm glad, but I don't think the others will be very happy."

"They're very hard to please," she replied, causing him to chuckle. "All of us were tired of not being let on special missions, so I made Cadmus into my mission and invited them along, technically. So, if the Justice League has a problem they can take it up with the Guardians."

He chuckled again and patted her shoulder, "I'm very proud of you and I'm sure Kilowog and Razer would be proud too if they were here."

Wally elbowed her and whispered, "Hey, who's Razer?"

"None of your business," she punched his arm. She looked over at Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman, and Superman who began talking. Hal went back over to join the other League members and Aqualad, Robin, and Superboy walked over to them.

They looked at the group and Superman slumped his shoulders before walking over to Superboy, "We'll, uh, we'll figure something out for you. The League will, I mean." Emerald facepalmed. "For now, I'd better make sure they get that Blockbuster creature squared away."

He flew away and Emerald put a hand on Superboy's shoulder and gave him a reassuring squeeze. They all turned as Batman spoke while he, Hal, Aquaman, and Flash walked toward them, "Cadmus will be investigated, all 52 levels, but let's make one thing clear-"

"You should've called," Flash interrupted. Emerald opened her mouth to reply but a subtle shake of the head from Hal stopped her.

"End results aside, we are not happy," Batman continued glaring at them. "You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed direct orders, and endangered lives. You will not be doing this again."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Emerald glared back. "As far as I can see it you're not the Guardians and as a Green Lantern their orders are the only ones I have to follow if the Sector I've sworn to protect is in danger."

Aqualad smiled at her before looking at Batman, "I am sorry, but we will."

"Aqualad," Aquaman called, "stand down."

"Apologies, my king, but no," he replied earning a raised eyebrow from his mentor. "We did good work here tonight, the work you trained us to do. Together, on our own, we forged something powerful, important."

"If this about your treatment at the hall the four of you-" Flash began.

Kid Flash interrupted, "The five of us, and it's not."

Robin looked at his mentor, "Batman, we're ready to use what you taught us or why teach us at all?"

Superboy looked up, "Why let them tell us what to do?" He walked forward. "It's simple. Get on board or get out of the way."

They all turned to see the rest of the Justice League, and Guardian, watching, but their eyes were focused on the mentors. Batman narrowed his eyes at them and Emerald smiled sweetly, "Of course I can pull out the Green Lantern card again if you do try and stop us."

Emerald looked around the cave that Batman and the others had brought them to. She wore a blue tank top with a red jacket and jeans. He spoke, "This cave was the original secret sanctuary of the Justice League. We're calling it into service again. Since you five are determined to stay together and fight the good fight you'll do it on League terms. Red Tornado volunteered to live here and be your supervisor. Black Canary's in charge of training. I will deploy you on missions."

"Real missions," Robin asked.

"Yes, but covert," Batman walked towards them.

Flash smiled at them and poked his symbol, "The League will still handle the obvious stuff. There's a reason we have these big targets on our chests."

"But Cadmus proves the bad guys are getting smarter," Aquaman said. "Batman needs a team that can operate on the sly."

"The six of you will be that team," Batman finished.

Robin smirked, "Cool. Wait. Six?"

Batman looked behind them and they turned to see Martian Manhunter walk towards them with a green-skinned girl, "This is the Martian Manhunter's niece, Miss Martian."

She waved at them and Wally looked down at Robin, "Liking this gig more every minute." He began to walk towards her. "Uh, welcome aboard. I'm Kid Flash. That's Robin, Aqualad, Emerald. It's cool if you forget their names." Emerald elbowed her cousin and gave him a look. "What?"

"I'm honored to be included," Miss Martian clasped her hands in front of her.

Emerald smiled, "Oh and let's not forget Superboy." She turned to see his surprised expression. "What? You didn't think I would let them forget about you, did you?"

Miss Martian smiled at him as they all walked towards her. The white and red shirt she wore changed to match Superboy's, "I like your t-shirt."

They all smiled at Miss Martian and Aqualad looked at them all, "Today is the day."

"You said it," Emerald exclaimed letting her Green Lantern suit cover her. She smiled and flew up. "Come on, we've got places to explore."


	3. Chapter 3

Roy watched the thugs start to unload a shipment before firing his arrow at their feet. The guns spiraled out as he stood and looked down at the man who flipped one into his hand. The man aimed at him, "You again! I'm starting to get insulted Green Arrow's not messing up my operations personally."

Roy scowled as the trigger was pulled and jumped and began dodging the gunfire, more like blasterfire. He flipped and shot an arrow while he was upside down, hitting the barrel of the gun and causing it to explode. The man looked around, completely unharmed but his shirt was torn to shreds, "Do you know what I pay for a suit in my size?!" He turned and looked at his henchmen. "Scorch the earth, boys."

The four men raised their weapon, but two were taken down by a yellow and red blur. Guns were pointed in the direction the blur went but a batarang hit them out of the remaining two's hands. A boy laughed as he swung over their heads and hid in the crates while another boy dropped down. He smacked the two into a truck using water. They fell to the ground with a grunt.

Roy focused on the big man as he tore some ground up and lifted it above his head. Roy ran across the tops of the shipping crates, ducking the stones that were thrown at him. He stopped and fired. The arrow exploded but the man threw another rock without difficulty. A green sword appeared, slicing through the rock like it was butter. Roy rolled to the side, avoiding the two pieces. He looked up at the girl in the Green Lantern suit and nodded, before firing a smoke arrow.

"Hey, Speedy," she smiled at him, flying down.

Aqualad came up to them, "The cave is perfect. It has everything the team will need."

"For covert missions," Robin added hopping down, "you know, spy stuff."

"And wait till you see Superboy and Miss Martian," Kid Flash ran up and joined them. "But I saw her first." This earned him a punch on the arm from Emerald.

The man picked up another rock and threw it at them. Emerald looked at it as everyone jumped out of the way. She rolled her eyes and created a large hand and crushed it into dust. Roy fired three arrows. They exploded, one after another. The man laughed, "Tell Arrow he shouldn't send kids to do a man's job." Roy notched another arrow and the man held out his arms, leaving his chest exposed. "Go ahead."

Roy fired and a thick foam surrounded the man and dried quickly. Wally sped in front of him, "High-density polyurethane foam. Nice."

Speedy turned and began to walk between some crates as Emerald landed beside Aqualad who stood by a crate. Robin leaned against another one, "So, Speedy, you in?"

"Pass," Roy replied, stopping for only a moment to look at him. "I'm done letting Arrow and the League tell me what to do. I don't need a babysitter or a clubhouse to hang out with the other kids. Your junior Justice League is a joke, something to keep you busy and in your place." He continued to walk. "I don't want any part of it."

Emerald walked after him, "Roy, wait."

"You going to try and convince me too," he asked.

"Please," she scoffed. "I know once you've made up your mind, you're not going to change it." He looked at her. "I just wanted to ask if this was going to affect our friendship."

He stopped and looked concerned, "No, I don't believe it will."

She smiled, "Awesome. I realized we haven't hung out since I got back from Oa, so how about tomorrow."

He smiled back, "I'd like that, just don't try to get me to join."

"Wouldn't dream of it," she replied. "See you later, Speedy." He watched her fly back to the others with a small smile. Truthfully he was half-tempted to join just for her, but he didn't want to make it look like he was willing to bow down to the League. No it wasn't going to happen.

Erica looked over as Robin and Wally entered the base. She sat on a couch that she had constructed while reading a book. Aqualad, Superboy, and Miss Martian stood by a holocomputer watching Red Tornado's approach. Both boys joined them in excitement, "Did you ask him?"

"What did he say," Wally added.

"He's arriving now," Aqualad replied with a small smile.

Wally began to move toward the door, "Then what are we waiting for?" Robin and Aqualad followed him, shortly followed by Superboy and Miss Martian. Erica sighed and tilted her head back to watch them before adding wheels to the couch and pushing herself back to them.

The secret door opened and the others climbed up to meet the League member while Erica stayed at the bottom. She was going to meet Roy today so she actually hoped they wouldn't get a mission, at least not today. Wally waved as the robot landed, "Red Tornado!"

"Greetings," the robot replied. "Is there a reason you intercept me outside the cave?"

"We hoped you had a mission for us," Aqualad stated for all of them.

If Red Tornado could look confused he probably would have, "Mission assignments are the Batman's responsibility."

"But it's been over a week and nothing," Robin tried to interject only to have Red Tornado interrupt him.

"You'll be tested soon enough. For the time being, simply enjoy each other's company."

Aqualad looked at Robin before returning his attention to Red Tornado, "This team is not a social club."

"No," the android concurred, "but I am told social interaction is an important team-building exercise. Perhaps you can keep busy by familiarizing yourself with the cave." He walked past them and Erica stood before flying up to meet the others.

Wally punched Robin's arm, "'Keep busy.'"

"Does he think we're falling for this," Robin asked in frustration.

"Oh, I'll find out," Miss Martian volunteered excitedly.

Erica raised a brow, "Can't you only read the minds of organic beings?"

She sighed, "Right, I forgot he's a machine."

"Nice try, though," Wally tried to cheer her up. He leaned a bit closer to her, "So, uh, you know what I'm thinkin' right now?"

Erica rolled her eyes, "No one has to read your mind to know what you're thinking, KF." Robin elbowed his back. "Really, coz, just stop it."

Aqualad looked down, "And now we tour the clubhouse."

"Well, Superboy and I live here," Miss Martian began. "We can play tour guides."

Everyone turned to said boy, "Don't look at me."

"We won't," Kid Flash turned to Miss Martian. "A private tour sounds much more fun."

"Sh-she never said private," Robin protested.

Aqualad interrupted, "Team building. We'll all go."

"I've got time," Erica shrugged after looking at her watch. Everyone looked at her. "What? I've got a life outside of being a Green Lantern, you know." Miss Martian turned and led them into the cave.

"And this would be the back door," Miss Martian stated, leading them out to a cliff overlooking the ocean. "The Cave is actually the entire mountain."

"It was hollowed out and reinforced by Superman and Green Lantern in the early days of the League," Kid Flash explained.

Superboy had a confused look in his eyes, "Then why abandon it for the Hall of Justice?"

"The Cave's secret location was… compromised," Aqualad replied.

"So they traded it in for a tourist trap," Superboy asked. "Yeah. That makes sense."

Miss Martian looked contemplative, "If villains know of the Cave, we must be on constant alert."

Robin was about to give a complicated explanation but Erica pulled him back, "We're hiding in plain sight. If they know about the place they wouldn't think we'd come back here or call the base into service again."

The Martian nodded and Superboy sniffed the air, "I smell smoke."

The girl gasped, "My cookies!" She sped down the hall and Erica quickly flew after her. She used her telepathic abilities to open the oven and pull the burnt pastries out where she placed them on the counter as the rest of the team entered. Erica shook her head and quickly placed a hot pad underneath the pan. "I was trying out Grammy Jones's recipe from episode 17 of…Never mind."

"I bet they'd have tasted great," Robin tried to cheer her up. There was a crunch noise. "He doesn't seem to mind."

Erica smiled as her cousin held two of them, "His metabolism is weird. You know, if you need any help you can always ask."

Wally nodded, "Em makes some of the best pastries out there."

"The help would be most appreciated," Miss Martian smiled.

"It was sweet of you to make any," the Atlantean stated.

Miss Martian still seemed a little disappointed, "Thanks, Aqualad."

He put a hand on his chest, "We are off duty. Call me Kaldur'ahm. Actually, my friends call me Kaldur."

"I'm Wally," Kid Flash interrupted. "See? I already trust you with my secret I.D., unlike Mr. Dark Glasses over here. Batman's forbidden Boy Wonder from telling anyone his real name. Though Emerald already knows and refuses to tell."

Erica shrugged and looked at her watch as everyone turned to her, "I walked into the Batcave when his name was said, that's all. I'm Erica by the way."

"Mine's no secret," Miss Martian smiled. "It's M'Gann M'Orzz. But you can call me Megan. It's an Earth name, and I'm on Earth now."

Erica looked over as Superboy began to walk away, she was about to talk to him when he froze and turned, "Get out of my head!"

 _"What's wrong? I don't understand,"_ Megan asked telepathically, causing everyone but Erica to flinch and hold their heads. " _Everyone on Mars communicates telepathically."_

"M'Gann, stop," Kaldur called. "Things are different on Earth. Here, your powers are an extreme invasion of privacy."

Erica rolled her eyes, "Do you know how many other species I've met that can only communicate telepathically? You get over your privacy rather quickly or learn to block them out."

"Besides," Wally spoke as if she hadn't said anything, "Cadmus's creepy little psychic genomes left a bad taste in his brain."

Megan tried to apologize but Superboy interrupted, "Just stay out." And that time he actually left the room and sat on a nearby green couch.

The Martian seemed to be disappointed before giving herself a quick facepalm, "Hello Megan. I know what we can do."

She flew down a hallway and the boys followed. Erica stopped by the exit and looked at the clone, "Superboy, please." He didn't speak and Erica frowned. "Don't make me force you." He scoffed and she smiled. "Come on."

He looked at her and then stood, following them down the hall. They caught up with the others at the elevator and Megan seemed happy that Superboy had joined. Erica glanced at her watch, she didn't have much longer before she had to go to Star City to meet up with Roy. The elevator doors opened, "It's my Martian bioship."

They walked out into the hangar where a red and black egg-like thing sat. Kid Flash looked at it quizzically, "Cute. Not aerodynamic, but cute."

"It's at rest, silly. I'll wake it," Megan waved a hand and the thing expanded. It turned and a ramp expanded leading up into the ship. She began to walk towards it before turning back to them, "Well, are you coming?"

"I would love to go," Erica began, "but I have a zeta tube waiting to take me to Star City." They looked at her in confusion. "I'm hanging out with Speedy today, like normal friends." She began to walk backwards to the elevator, "So, I'll see you guys later."

They watched her enter the elevator and the doors close. All of them feared she would end up going solo.

Erica stepped out of the photo booth into an empty alleyway. A smile formed on her face when she spotted Roy standing there in civilian clothes. He looked at her and also smiled, "Took you long enough."

"Sorry, Miss Martian wanted to show us her bioship," she replied walking up to him. "So, where to?"

"I thought that since we're trying to act like regular teenagers…the mall," he looked at her. She frowned. "You're the one who insisted that we try not to do anything related to being heroes."

"And I'm seriously regretting it," she replied before hooking their arms together. "Lead the way."

They walked out of the alleyway, earning them a few strange looks, and Roy guided her to a red motorcycle that was parked on the side of the road. He handed her a green helmet before he put on a red one and climbed on. Erica placed it on her head and got on behind him, wrapping her arms around his stomach.

She laughed as soon as he entered traffic and began to make his way through the city. There was a certain enjoyment that she got whenever she flew or was on a motorcycle that she didn't really understand. She looked at the ring on her finger and almost frowned as it looked different before ignoring it and focused on where they were going. Roy smiled as her enthusiasm transferred to him and almost groaned when he pulled into the mall parking lot.

Erica hopped off of the bike before it was fully parked and pulled off her helmet, green eyes sparkling in excitement. It had been forever since she had a day to act like a normal teenager. She linked their arms again and dragged Roy to the entrance. A few boys and girls glared at them, not that she noticed, as they walked in and Erica looked around, "So, what's the best store?"

Roy rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't know. This is the first time I've been to the mall."

"Why did you want to go then," she asked. She looked around. "Let's find a map and see if there are any stores we recognize." He smiled again as she weaved her way around all the people to a large map. She scanned the legend before pointing at one, "FYE, that's a good store."

"What you don't want to go to Sports Authority," Roy asked jokingly.

She smiled at him, "We can go there next. Then we can go to GameStop."

He raised an eyebrow, "I didn't take you for the gamer type."

"Of course I am," she chirped. "Ask my parents, they couldn't get me off of my systems when I came back." He chuckled as she led the way again. They entered FYE and Erica looked conflicted about which direction to go. The archer shook his head and pulled her in a random direction, watching her run around in excitement.

Though at one point Erica ended up losing sight of her friend. She had a few items in her arms as she wandered through the aisles trying to find Roy when someone tapped her shoulder. Her smile fell when she turned and didn't find him, instead there was a boy with black hair, brown eyes, and a _lot_ of piercings, "Can I help you?"

"Yeah, I was wondering something," he smirked. "Did it hurt when you fell from Heaven?"

"No, but I scraped my knee crawling out of Hell," she rolled her eyes.

"Well, if that's true I bet you made Hell seem cold," he took a step closer.

She narrowed her eyes, "You should know, I know how to break your arm in at least 10 different ways using just my hands. Imagine how many more ways I can do that with the stuff in this store."

"I love it when girls play hard to get," the boy chuckled reaching forward to grab her arm when a hand stopped him. Both turned to see Roy. "Hey, what's your problem man?"

"You're hitting on my girlfriend," Roy replied with a straight face. "I really don't appreciate that."

The boy's eyes widened, "I, uh- she never said she had a boyfriend." He backed up with his hands raised. "She was the one hitting on me, I swear. Keep that girl of yours on a leash." He ran off before either of them could do anything.

Erica turned to Roy with a raised eyebrow, "Girlfriend, huh?"

"Came up with it on short notice," he replied, not looking her in the eye.

"Your sweet, Roy," she giggled. "Did you find anything?" He shook his head. "Okay. I found a few things for the others, to make them feel a bit more welcome. Come on, I need to pay."

They walked down the aisle, "What did you get everyone?"

She smiled, "Well, they aren't that easy as I don't know everyone very well, but just a few things I thought they'd like. Wally's getting a season of his favorite TV series, for Miss Martian I got a cookbook, just tiny things." He looked at her. "She kind of burnt a batch of cookies and I thought she'd like to expand her culinary knowledge." When they reached the register she quickly paid for the items, took the bag, and led him towards the exit. "And I got this for you."

He looked over in surprise to see her holding a silver necklace with a gold bow and silver arrow charm. She smiled as he gently took it and examined it, "It was in the Greek mythology area, it represents Artemis and Apollo. They were supposedly the best archers of all time and when I saw it, it reminded me of you."

He smiled and put it on, "Thank you."

"No problem," her smile broadened so she resembled the Cheshire Cat. "Come on, we've got more stores to go to."

Roy couldn't help but wish she knew.


	4. Chapter 4

Emerald sat in the bioship with the others as they flew over the ocean. It was their first real mission together. Miss Martian broke the silence, "We're approaching Santa Prisca."

Isla Santa Prisca was an island nation known for the production of Venom, or the stuff that gave Bane his immense strength. According to Batman, infrared heat signatures indicated that the factory was still operating but there was no Venom going out. They were only supposed to do recon but Emerald had a feeling it wouldn't be that easy.

"Drop Zone A in 30," Miss Martian called out. Aqualad stood from his seat and pressed the Atlantean symbol on his suit turning the red black.

He looked at Miss Martian, "Ready."

"Putting bioship in camouflage mode," Miss Martian narrated. A hole opened in the floor and Aqualad dived into the water beneath. They waited for a few moments before Aqualad called in saying that he had patched into the security system and everything was on a loop. Miss Martian guided the bioship over the island and to a small clearing. "Drop zone B."

They all stood up and some lines came down to help them down. KF pressed the symbol on his chest, activating his stealth mode, and turned to Miss Martian, "How cool is this?"

"Very impressive," she replied before she turned her suit completely black and placed her hands on her hips.

"Uh, that works too," KF smiled. "Hey, Supey, not too late to put on the new stealth tech."

"No capes, no tights," he stated as he crossed his arms over his chest. "No offense."

Emerald shrugged, "I wish I could just be a superhero in my regular clothes, but I have to wear the uniform." She looked down as the floor opened beneath her and she hopped out without the safety line as Miss Martian said something to Superboy. When her feet touched the ground she looked up to see Robin and KF coming out using the lines and Miss Martian became visible beside her. The others quickly moved as Superboy jumped out and caused a cloud of dirt to fly up. She waved her hand in front of her, "Really?"

"Knew I didn't need a line," he smiled as he stepped out of the small crater.

"And yet creating a seismic event may not have helped us much with the covert," Robin argued.

Miss Martian rejoined them, "Aqualad, drop B is go."

 ** _"Head for the factory,"_** Aqualad said over the comms. **_"I'll track your GPS and rendezvous ASAP."_**

"Roger that," Robin called back as he activated something on his gauntlet and began to look at the screen. He deactivated it and they began to move. Emerald flew over them, grateful that the green didn't show up around her when she was on a planet with plenty of oxygen.

They moved quickly through the forest and Miss Martian and Emerald flew to the side as the others walked down a slippery path. One wrong step and they could end up plummeting to the bottom of a cliff. They climbed up some rocks back into the forest. Superboy suddenly stopped, "Did you hear that?"

"Uh, no," KF replied uncertainly. "Wait. Is this a super hearing thing?"

Miss Martian smiled, "You do have great ears." Emerald facepalmed.

"Okay, Rob, now what," KF turned to look forward only to find the Boy Wonder gone. They could hear his laughter echo through the trees. "Man, I hate it when he does that."

 ** _"Superboy, Kid,"_** Aqualad's voice broke in. **_"Switch to infrared, see if you're being tracked."_**

KF put his goggles down, "Got a squad of armed bozos incoming."

They moved to some cover and Superboy looked the other way, "Two squads. But they'll meet each other before they find us."

There was some gunfire as if to prove his point and Emerald Lantern flinched slightly, she had never been a fan of guns, and muttered to herself, "Facing down some Red Lanterns sounds really good right now."

 ** _"Swing wide, steer clear,"_** Aqualad ordered.

"Y-yeah, just as soon as I find Rob," KF replied hopping over a fallen tree.

Miss Martian began to go after him and Superboy looked at Emerald, "What's a Red Lantern?"

"Uh, long story," she replied then facepalmed as her cousin slid down the hill and into the middle of the battlefield. Both sides had stopped firing to look at him. "One of these days." Both sides began to fire at him as he ran around. "We better go help him." Superboy had the same thought as he was already running down the hill to punch a guy. "This team thing is going _great_ so far."

She flew down as Robin came to the rescue, "What is wrong with you guys? Remember covert? Why didn't you follow my lead, vanish into the jungle?"

"That's what you were doing," KF asked. "Way to fill us in. We're not mind readers, you know." He looked back to see Miss Martian slam somebody into a tree, "Er, I'm not anyway."

Aqualad came down and stopped another man by touching his chest and using his markings to basically taser him. The men were about to get up when several green hands came down and picked them up. Everyone turned to watch Emerald place them against some trees where chain constructs wrapped around them to keep them in place. She landed on the ground and glared at KF and Robin before turning back to the men, the chains connected to her ring.

"I recognize those uniforms," Robin commented after everyone came over to survey the prisoners. "They belong to the cult of the Kobra."

Aqualad looked at the youngest, "I am certain Batman would have mentioned it if he knew a dangerous extremist was running Santa Prisca's Venom operation."

Robin nodded, "And since there's clearly no love lost between the cultists and those goons I'm betting Kobra came in and tossed them out. That's why normal supply lines have been cut off."

"We get it," KF interrupted. "Kobra wanted super cultists. Mystery solved. Radio Bats, and we'll be home in time-"

"These cultists aren't _on_ Venom," Robin interrupted. "Kobra's hoarding the stuff. We don't leave. Not until I know why."

Emerald remained silent, looking at one of the "goons" she recognized. Bane. He probably wanted his Venom back, his entire island and factory back. She ignored Robin and KF as they argued. Superboy turned to look at Bane as one of his thugs whispered to him, "Look at them argue! Free yourself and take them while they're distracted!"

"Quiet," Bane ordered. "For now I play along. They'll give me what I need."

Emerald shook her head and whispered to Superboy, "They apparently forget the ring translates every language for me." Superboy smirked at that. "Trust him about as far as Robin can throw him."

Bane began chuckling as KF and Robin continued to argue, "Such clever children." She guessed he said the last word in Spanish. They joined KF and Robin in standing in front of him. "But you only know half the story. Let me show you the rest, get you into the factory via my secret entrance."

Miss Martian kneeled, "There is a secret entrance but he's also hiding something."

Her eyes glowed, "Ah, ah, ah, girl. Bane is not that easy."

She scoffed, "He's mentally reciting soccer scores in Spanish. This could take a while."

"It's not complicated," Bane regained their attention. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Emerald looked at Aqualad who nodded before releasing the villain.

Emerald kept a close eye on Bane as he led them to a cliff that overlooked the factory. She knew that he was going to play them for fools and she wished to keep that from happening for as long as possible. Robin commented on the Venom packages but she refused to look away from Bane, ready to stop him from doing anything. Bane began to walk away, "Where do you think you're going?"

He stopped in surprise, "You speak Spanish, girl?" She shrugged. "I'm opening the door to some secret entrance." He moved a giant rock and brushed off his hands, and apparently caught the last of Flash and Robin's argument, "Answers are this way."

The others joined them at the entrance to an old mining shaft. KF seemed frustrated, "So now, El Luchador is our leader."

Superboy looked at Emerald as they began to follow Bane, "Don't you want to be leader?"

"Nope," she stated. "Being a leader is a heavy burden and not one that should be taken lightly. It is a burden that I do not want or care for, making me probably the worst choice for being a leader." He nodded in understanding as Bane pressed a button, opening a door into the factory. She returned to keeping a close eye on him as they entered a locker room.

Robin peeked out into the factory beyond, "All clear."

He ran out and they all followed, except Robin disappeared. Emerald rubbed her temples, feeling that they would have a reoccurrence of what happened before. KF put his goggles down and Emerald sighed, "Stay put. I'll get our intel and be back before the Boy Wonder."

With that KF ran off. Yup, definitely a reoccurrence. Bane looked at them, "Great chain of command." She almost facepalmed realizing he was right, she hated agreeing with the bad guys.

Aqualad turned to her, "Emerald, see if you can find them."

She nodded and flew up to get a good look at the factory, while hiding in the shadows as the bright green would usually give her away. She landed on a support beam and crouched down. Robin and KF were in a computer room. From this angle and distance, she couldn't see what they were looking at or figure out what they were talking about. She noticed Robin put a hand up to his ear as if he was about to radio someone but she couldn't hear his voice through hers. Something wasn't right here.

Emerald looked down and saw Aqualad put his hand up to his ear as well and yet still couldn't hear his voice. The cultist must be blocking any transmissions so as to make sure no one will find out about what they're doing. Bane suddenly leaped down onto the ground and attacked a few of the cultists. She turned at the sound of shattering glass to see a creature that sort of reminded her of Doctor Desmond hop through and force Aqualad and Superboy to the ground. Miss Martian was probably somewhere just out of sight.

The leader of Kobra entered the room with a woman and some more cultists. He kept an impassive face as he looked at Bane, Aqualad, and Superboy, "Destroy them."

The creature roared as it charged at them only to have Superboy do the same. They began to fight while the cultists went after Aqualad, Bane disappeared. She hopped off of the support beam and sent a construct at one of the cultists as they opened fire and sent him flying into a wall. He immediately fell unconscious and a few cultists began to fire at her, causing her to raise a shield. She then created a fly swatter and turned, smacking them into a few crates.

There was an explosion and she turned to see Miss Martian go across the warehouse. She turned her attention back to the fight as she was shot at again and raised a shield. Unfortunately, she was being driven back as they weren't giving her a moment to create another construct. She focused on the bubble around her as cracks began appear in it. This wouldn't do. Without hesitating she made a machine gun and pushed it through the shield, returning fire immediately. It didn't last, however, as the creature took a moment away from his own battle to throw a crate at her.

Her construct shattered and she was knocked towards the front of the warehouse, hovering just over Sportsmaster, the leader of Kobra, and the woman. Sportsmaster pulled out a gun and fired at her. She quickly flew out of the warehouse while dodging the bullets. Her breathing was heavy when Miss Martian spoke in her mind, _"Everyone online?"_

 _"Yeah,"_ Superboy replied in annoyance.

 _"You know it, beautiful,"_ KF added.

Emerald scowled, _"Wally, this is serious."_

 _"Good,"_ Aqualad interrupted. _"We need to regroup."_

 _"Busy now,"_ Robin stated. Emerald turned and saw him by Sportsmaster's helicopter. The Kobra leader and that woman nearby. She narrowed her eyes.

Aqualad seemed to be frustrated as well, _"Robin. Now."_ She noticed the Boy Wonder scowl before throwing down something that created a bright light as the woman charged at him. Emerald nodded as she spotted him moving into the factory before flying towards the secret entrance. Aqualad's voice still spoke in her mind, _"Strategic retreat. Kid, clear a path."_

She hovered over the entrance, unaware of what her team was doing when she spotted some movement. Bane. It seemed he was rigging the entrance with explosives, just great. He looked inside and began to speak to somebody, her team probably. Aqualad spoke once more, _"Emerald, where are you?"_

 _"Right above Bane,"_ she replied. _"What took you guys so long?"_

 _"No time to explain, think you can get the detonator from him,"_ the Atlantean asked.

She narrowed her eyes, _"Probably."_ Bane pulled up his hand with the detonator when she reacted, flying down and grabbing it as fast as she could. He moved his thumb down just as she pulled it away, thankfully he had been holding it loosely. His eyes traveled to his hand in surprise, "Forgetting somebody?"

Bane looked at her in surprise just as Miss Martian lifted him into the air and the others exited. Superboy positioned himself by her and looked up, "Finally. Drop him." She did as asked and as Bane fell, Superboy had no problem with punching him in the face.

Emerald landed, "So, are we done being a bunch of bumbling idiots?"

"I believe so," Robin replied with a smile. "Now that Kaldur's going to be leading us."

Everyone stopped and looked at her as if they realized they hadn't asked if she was okay with that. She rolled her eyes, "I could've told you that the moment we started this team. Now, how are we going to stop Sportsmaster?"

The helicopter blades began to spin and Sportsmaster took two steps towards it before KF ran through the area, punching out a few Kobra people. Sportsmaster began to run toward it when Superboy jumped down by the ramp, causing the earth to crack. He looked at the creature, "Go again?" It roared and began to run towards him when a green light knocked it to the side, "Sorry. Not the plan."

Emerald focused on the beam of light as the creature began to try and move back towards her. She could see out of the corner of her eye Superboy being shot at by Sportsmaster but could do nothing about it. The creature began to move toward her a bit faster. She narrowed her eyes, _"Aqualad, you planning on joining in any time soon?"_

A stream of water hit the creature, pushing it back again. They forced it back some more, past some of the cultists. Aqualad stood beside her, _"Now!"_

He touched the water, sending electricity through it at the same time as Emerald increased her ring's energy output, turning the beam into a taser. The creature roared as it fell back, unconscious, and Aqualad let the water disappear while Emerald let the construct disappear. She looked at him, "You trying to drain my ring's power, leader?"

"That was not the intention," he replied seriously causing her to shake her head. They turned to look as the helicopter took off and then glanced at Miss Martian and Superboy as she held up the detonator. She hit the button and the aircraft began to explode. It began to go down and they smiled as it was directed towards the factory, just as planned.

They ran over to where Robin was fighting Kobra who looked at the factory with Robin under his foot, "I am plagued by mosquitoes."

"Good, because this mosquito is mighty concerted over your pain," Robin replied, shoving Kobra's foot off of him before back flipping to stand with the rest of his team.

Kobra looked at them before backing up into the forest, "Another time then."

Robin and Emerald walked forward and moved some ferns out of the way but Kobra was gone. They looked at each other and shrugged before walking back over to the others. Robin smiled slightly as he approached Aqualad, "We picked the right guy to lead." Then he added, "Automatically making you the right guy to explain this mess to Batman."

Emerald shook her head as he gestured to the burning factory and began laughing. Yes, they had chosen the right guy, finally.

"A simple recon mission, observe and report," Batman practically scolded the team who stood in a line after reporting back to Mount Justice. "You'll each receive a written evaluation detailing your many mistakes." Emerald gave him a look as if to tell him to hurry up. He turned to them at the end of the line, "Until then, good job." Everyone but her looked up in surprise before turning to look at him, "No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. How you adjust to the unforeseen is what determines success." He began walking away, "And how you choose who leads determines character."

The others relaxed once he was gone. Emerald began walking toward the kitchen, "I swear he's exactly like Kilowog, minus the call-you-names-to-make-you-feel-bad part. Now, who wants some food?"


	5. Chapter 5

Erica stood with Robin and Miss Martian, watching her cousin and Aqualad playing a holographic version of air hockey. Wally was currently winning and it was only inflating his ego. They all looked toward the zeta tubes when the computer spoke, "Recognized. Superboy. B-04."

He seemed angry, even angrier than Razer was when Atrocitus or the Manhunters hurt Aya. This probably had something to do with Superman, the man who was technically his father. She wanted to help but she wasn't sure how. Comforting people was more of her mom's thing. She could probably call later and ask for advice, that'd be nice.

"Hi, Superboy," Miss Martian greeted as the clone walked through the holographic table. "How was Metropolis?"

"Megan," Erica began as Superboy didn't answer. She was going to continue when Black Canary cleared her throat.

They all turned to look at her as she entered the room beside Martian Manhunter and Hal, "Ready for training, everyone?"

Miss Martian called out to them and then went to hug her uncle. Erica walked over to her mentor, curious about his presence here. He put a hand on her shoulder and then looked at his fellow J.L member, "Hey, Canary, mind if I borrow Emerald for a quick second?" The blonde shrugged. He motioned for Erica to follow and she couldn't help but notice that Superboy was watching the Martians. When they were a certain distance away, Hal turned to her, "Have you heard from your parents lately?"

"Not since this morning," she replied, tilting her head. "Why?"

"I went by your house to let them know how you were doing with your GL training, but they weren't there," he frowned.

She smiled, "Well you don't have to worry, Hal. They left this morning to go to Central City to visit Wally's parents."

"Oh," he seemed to relax, knowing that there wasn't any trouble. "Guess I've been working as a hero a little too long. One thing's out of place and I automatically think the worst."

She nodded, "With the crap we've been through I can't blame you." He nodded and she pulled out her phone, "But thanks for giving me a quick break to call mom and ask her something."

"No problem," he chuckled. "Go back into the training room when you're ready." She nodded and went to her contacts, clicking on her mom's number. The phone rang but nobody answered, forcing her to leave a message, they were probably just in a roaming area.

As soon as she reentered the training room there was a beeping sound and Batman's face appeared on a holographic screen, **_"Batman to the cave."_** Everyone moved forward as if that would help them hear better. **_"Five hours ago, a new menace attacked Green Arrow and Black Canary. The attacker was capable of studying, then duplicating the powers and abilities of its opponents. Arrow called in reinforcements, which nearly proved disastrous as our foe gained more and more power with each new combatant."_**

"Whoa," Wally breathed. "One guy with the powers of the entire league?" Erica had to admit that had to be tough to beat.

 ** _"In the end, it took eight leaguers four hours to defeat and dismantle the android."_**

"An android," Robin commented. "W-who made it, T.O. Morrow?"

Batman looked at his protégé, **_"Good guess, Robin. But Red Tornado doesn't think so."_** Erica noticed that Superboy looked down at Batman's praise. She knew why he was angry and he had every right to be, but how he was dealing with it wasn't the best way.

"The technology bears the signature of Professor Ivo," Martian Manhunter explained.

Aqualad and Emerald looked confused before speaking in unintended unison, "Ivo? But Ivo's dead."

Canary looked at them, "So we all thought…or hoped."

 ** _"To make certain this threat is permanently neutralized,"_** Batman continued, **_"we're sending two trucks carrying the Android's parts to two separate STAR Lab facilities in Boston and New York for immediate evaluation. Every precaution is being taken. We'll have four additional decoy trucks to create confusion in case Ivo or anyone tries to recover the remains. You will split into undercover teams to safeguard the two real trucks."_**

"Yes, road trip," Wally exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention to him. Erica smacked the back of his head. "Hey, no Gibbs' smacks."

"So, now we take out your trash," Superboy glared at the screen, earning a few surprised stares.

Batman didn't seem fazed, **_"You had something better to do?"_**

Superboy glanced away as a handheld device Aqualad had beeped, "Coordinates received. On our way."

Emerald followed the others to the hanger. She hoped her mom wouldn't call back while she was on the mission.

Superboy glanced at Emerald as they waited for the trucks to move out. She sat on a bright green motorcycle that she had been given while wearing a modified version of her usual uniform and a green helmet. He, Emerald, and Robin were supposed to guard one of the trucks while the others went with the other one. He had been too busy being angry at Superman for not giving him a chance to hear her conversation with Green Lantern so he was curious about it.

Batman gave the signal for the trucks to move out and they went with them. Their group went to the right while the others went the opposite direction. Emerald stayed in the back, leaving room for him to jump onto the truck if need be. They'd been riding in silence for a few minutes when Robin pulled up next to him and spoke, "If dislike is the opposite of like, is disaster the opposite of aster? See, instead of things going wrong, they go right." He didn't reply. "Uh, clearly you're not feeling the aster. What's wrong?"

"Canary," Superboy stated. "And what business does she have teaching combat skills to a guy with super strength?"

"Taking down stronger guys is part of the gig," Robin explained. "Canary learned that the hard way. Same with Batman and, well, me."

"Also she's a woman with powers in a world full of men with powers," Emerald butted in. "If she hadn't learned combat skills she wouldn't be the person she is today." Superboy suddenly pulled away, to be closer to the truck. Emerald sighed and moved to be next to him. "Did you know that creating a construct is not the first thing a Green Lantern learns?" He glanced at her. "First we learn how to survive in areas without our rings. We learn how to fight without them because we can't always rely on them. Hal, Kilowog, Razer, and I learned that the hard way." She chuckled at the thought.

His eyes went back to the truck, "What happened?"

She smiled under her helmet, though he couldn't see, "We were dropping Razer off at this prison, at the time he wasn't very nice. The prison was run by these spider-like dudes who were actually torturing the inmates, forcing them to see their worst fears. What was worst, the prison was full of yellow crystals, the very embodiment of fear. At first, we didn't think that there was anything strange going on, not until one of the inmates tried to hitch a ride out of there on our ship. He told us in his own strange way, what was going on and we went back to get Razer, no one deserved that kind of crap.

"When we went in, we entered the area where they had the crystals, it was practically growing out of the walls. Our rings didn't work there. The spider guys caught us and were planning on eating us. And then, in came Razer. He had gotten his ring off of the ship and came back to help us," Emerald chuckled a little.

"I thought your rings didn't work," Superboy interrupted.

She looked at him, "He wasn't a Green Lantern. Let's just say that Razer was more than a little frustrated about what they'd done to him, so he-" She stopped as her ring flashed twice. "Story time's over, we've got incoming."

All of a sudden, robot monkeys flew over their heads and landed on the truck. Aqualad's voice came over the radio, **_"Robin, Superboy, Emerald, our truck is under attack!"_**

"Kind of figured," Robin replied.

The monkeys laughed as Superboy narrowed his eyes, "I hate monkeys."

The truck began to swerve, Robin laughed, "Robot monkeys! Totally Ivo's tweaked style."

"Not the time, Robin," Emerald stated though she was resisting the urge to smile with him. She activated her ring, allowing her original uniform to cover her as she pressed a button, allowing the motorcycle to drive itself. As soon as she released the handles she flew over the bike and moved toward the truck at the same time as Robin released something from the back of his bike.

"Hey, hey," Robin called over to Superboy. "Switch your ride to battle mode."

Superboy didn't listen, "No point." He leapt off the bike and onto the truck. The bike was about to swerve out of control and hit Robin's.

Emerald quickly created a hand and grabbed it, pulling it out of the way, "Hey, Superboy, watch what you're doing, okay. We don't need to hurt teammates." Her eyes widened as one of the monkeys took off a piece of the door and tossed it at her. She was smacked backwards, construct breaking and sending the bike toward Robin. He leapt off and used a grapnel gun to pull himself to the truck. "Sorry, Rob."

He grunted. She gripped her side, man that had hurt. Grimacing she flew in, taking out a monkey before it could attack Superboy. He didn't make any sign that he noticed. She tossed off her helmet and chucked it at another, sending it flying, where it landed on the ground and was crushed under the wheels of the truck. She shrugged that was one way to get rid of them.

A bunch of the monkeys began to land on her, laughing in their annoying way. She growled a little, feeling a spark of rage that she pushed away, she didn't need any distractions now. Her green lantern ring began to pulse and then formed a shield across her skin, pushing outwards, before it practically exploded sending them through the air.

Laughter reached her ears as the monkeys picked up Superboy, took him to a certain height, and then dropped him. She didn't waste any time constructing a bed underneath him. He looked at her, sort of, he rubbed his eyes as she pulled him along. She avoided a blast from one of the monkeys as she tried to keep Superboy beside him. Hopefully the others were doing better than them.

She felt the construct bounce as Superboy jumped back into the fight. Getting rid of the construct she blasted away a few more monkeys as they peeled back the top of the truck a few entering inside. Emerald sighed as she went to try and fight them, only to have them attack her and push her back. She pushed them away like before and then had to catch Robin as Superboy landed on the truck before it began to swerve.

A sigh left her lips as she put Robin back on the truck before creating tires where the monkeys had destroyed them. It was hard to keep the truck stable, she narrowed her eyes as she began to have trouble staying with it. She glanced up at the Boy Wonder, "I can't keep this up."

He nodded, grabbed the driver and jumped into the corn. Her construct disappeared and she barely got out of the way as the truck flipped. It did catch her foot, however, and send her sprawling to the ground. She looked up as the back of the truck exploded and the monkeys flew out with a crate. They'd taken the android. That spark of anger was rekindling as she glared at the monkeys. No, she had to remain calm. Now was not the time to lose her head.

She looked over as Superboy flipped the truck off of him. He had his eyes closed, making her wonder what the monkeys did to him. He rubbed his eyes before looking at them fly off. She was about to call him over as she stood, clutching her side where the piece of metal had hit her, when he jumped after them. Emerald looked at him, "Superboy!"

 ** _"Aqualad to Robin and Emerald. We've lost our cargo. Did you-"_** Aqualad began as Robin glared at the way Superboy was going.

"It's gone and so is Superboy," Robin replied.

Emerald straightened out, grimacing as the pain increased, "I'll find him."

Robin stopped her, "You were hit by a giant piece of metal, relax for a moment."

"I've taken worst hits," Emerald replied. "Ever fought a Manhunter before?"

They waited for a moment as they listened to Aqualad try to talk to Superboy only to receive silence. Robin rubbed his forehead, "I think he ditched his comp."

 ** _"Super,"_** Wally began sarcastically. **_"Now we can't even track him."_**

 ** _"He's out of my telepathic range,"_** Miss Martian added. **_"And this Professor Ivo, if he is alive, seems to be two steps ahead of us. M-maybe w-we should contact Red Tornado?"_**

Emerald looked around and spotted the body of one of the monkeys, "Tornado always tells us to handle things ourselves. And the mission can still succeed if we regain the parts." She pointed. "Superboy was following the monkeys, right?"

Robin glanced at where she was pointing before smirking, "Emerald, you're a genius!"

 ** _"Uh, you two want to explain,"_** Wally asked.

"The decoy trucks haven't been attacked yet, or we would've heard," Emerald began.

"So how did these monkeys know exactly which trucks to attack," Robin continued as he plugged something into the monkey and began to hack in. A holographic screen popped up. "Ha! The parts have GPS. The monkeys can track the signal which means we can track them with the one Emerald found."

Emerald looked over his shoulder, "Looks like the parts are converging on Gotham City." She and Robin shared a look. That was his hometown. Why would they go there? Her side began to ache again and she created a construct of one of Oa's healing units. It began to stitch up her side in no time.

Robin nodded at whatever Aqualad said as she finished up. He turned to her, "You still got your bike?" She nodded. "Good, Kid's on his way." They both hit buttons on their wrist, bringing their bikes to them. She hopped on, constructing a helmet around her head. "Definitely a disaster, heavy on the dis."

She nodded, "You said it."

They were speeding down the highway toward Gotham. Robin's bike was being held up by one wheel and he had changed into his costume. Emerald was also riding her bike but it was more to make sure that Robin could keep up. They looked over as Wally ran beside them, "So you changed too."

Wally smiled, "You kidding?" He 'shuddered.' "I feel naked in civvies. You still tracking the parts."

"They were heading through Gotham," Robin replied as he looked forward again, "but they veered." He looked down at a screen on his bike. "Wait. Dudes, they're at my school."

Emerald sighed, "Well, time to ditch the vehicle." She pressed the button, and then flew up, getting rid of her helmet construct. All three of them began to hurry forward until they reached a large school with a hole in it and several clouds of dust. "Guessing Superboy is here."

Robin nodded as he pulled his bike up and parked in front of the school. Wally ran ahead as Emerald flew after him, followed quickly by Robin. She and Robin entered through one side of the gym as the android prepared to slam down on Superboy, but Wally entered and picked him up, saying, "Yoink," as he went.

Emerald sent a beam at the android as Robin tossed one of his batarangs. The android didn't seem fazed as it said, "Martian Manhunter." Both went right through him, causing another part of the gym to explode. "Access Red Tornado."

Her eyes widened as she quickly flew to the ceiling, avoiding the android as a red tornado brought it toward her teammates, they were blown to the side. She created a construct before they hit the floor or walls, catching them. The android went after Wally, "Access Captain Atom."

It raised a hand as she appeared between them, throwing up a shield as Wally ran behind the bleacher. The android tilted its head as it looked at her. It then turned to the side as Wally ran over to it, "Access Black Canary." She covered her ears as it used the screech to dig a trench in the gym floor, sending her cousin back. "Superman."

She flew over its head as it caught Superboy's punch and sent him over Robin's head. "Martian Manhunter." Robin threw a few batarangs, which its arms stretched out as it batted them away. She created a construct and caught its arm before it could send it toward the Boy Wonder. It looked at her, "Superman." She was thrown back as it broke her construct and then hit her with heat vision.

Wally ran toward it, it caught him with ease, and began to constrict his body while hugging him. He yelled in pain. There was a strange noise as the android looked to the side and said, "Martian Manhunter." Something went right through him as he dropped Wally, who didn't waste any time in getting out of there.

It turned again as Superboy began to run at it, "Access Black Canary." Emerald ran up behind it as it tossed Superboy to the side and hit it with a boxing glove construct. It stumbled forward a bit before turning and screeching at her, causing her to go flying back with her ears ringing. Robin threw a pair of batarangs at it, which it ducked, before changing its features, "Superman."

Wally tackled Robin out of the way of the heat vision. She shook her head as Professor Ivo spoke, "Oh, yawn. Normally, Amazo would study and mimic your abilities during battle, but what's the point? You're all such poor copies of the originals."

That flame of anger returned as the monkeys laughed and everything was beginning to turn red. Superboy smirked, "So everyone keeps saying. It makes me angry!" He leaped at Ivo just as Emerald stood and looked down at her ring as it flashed. It was no longer green but a crimson red. She smirked, now to show them what she could do. Ivo began to run towards Emerald, out of the way of Superboy's attack. "Want to see me channel that anger?"

Ivo stopped when he saw Emerald who created a chain, the edges dancing like fire, "Amazo, protect your master. Priority alpha." He jumped out of the way as the chain landed where he had been standing. She knew exactly what Superboy had planned.

"Captain Atom," Amazo said as it raised it hand, first sending a beam toward her then at Superboy. She threw up a shield, her anger fueling the ring. The second blast hit her teammate though. She glanced over as two monkeys began to pick up Ivo.

"Anyone want to play keep away," Robin asked as he kicked Ivo in the back.

Wally began to run toward the scientist, "Me, me!"

"Access Superman," Amazo stated as he turned to face Wally. He stomped down, sending some wood up and sending Wally flying toward the bleachers. She created a construct and caught him, setting him down before creating a giant snake which moved toward Ivo at a rapid pace at the same time as Robin threw a batarang at Amazo. "Martian Manhunter."

The batarang went through it and Superboy landed in front of him. He sent his fist into the android's face as it began to speak, "Superman." It wasn't quick enough as the face solidified around Superboy's fist and exploded.

She had to get rid of the snake to put up a shield around her teammates. Afterwards, the android fell to the ground, smoke coming out of its neck, and Robin ran forward, "Help me disassemble him now!"

"Dude, the guy has no head," KF stated, holding his arm.

The doors opened as Emerald tried to slow her breathing, Aqualad and Miss Martian had finally arrived. The Atlantean spoke, "Don't take any chances."

Miss Martian landed beside the clone as he stood, "Superboy, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he smiled. He then looked at Robin, "Feeling the aster."

"Hey," Wally exclaimed causing Emerald to look at him. "Where's Ivo?" The gym was empty.

She growled, the red light flaring up around her for a second before she took a deep breath, her teammates looking up at her in surprise as she landed. The red fading back into green, "It appears he took his chance while we were distracted."

"Emerald," Miss Martian breathed. "You were red."

"Yeah," she shrugged. "Kind of happens when I can't control my own anger." She looked away, "It's a long story, I'll explain later."

Superboy chuckled a little, "At least I now know what you were talking about when you said Red Lanterns."

"Oh, you don't know the half of it," she stated.

"The Amazo android is in pieces again," Aqualad told the Justice League members, "safely being analyzed at the two separate STAR Labs but Ivo escaped, and since he originated the tech, he's arguably more dangerous than the android."

"Capturing the professor will be a league priority," Canary stated.

Martian Manhunter folded his arms across his chest, "But we understand your mission encountered other complications."

Batman walked toward them as they looked at each other. Emerald remained straight-faced, hoping that they wouldn't talk about her going red. "Complications come with the job. Your ability to handle them has impressed the league."

"The whole league," Superboy asked.

"Given time, yes," Batman replied. "Kryptonians, as you know, have very hard heads." Superboy smirked at that. "Of course, there's no shame in asking for help. That's why the league exists, because there are some problems even we can't handle individually."

"Please," Robin began. "If we needed help, we'd never get the chance to ask." He pulled out the arrow from earlier, "Look familiar?" Batman took it as Red Tornado and Green Arrow came closer. "You were following us! Babysitting! You still don't trust us."

Batman passed the arrow off to the archer who examined it before pulling out one of his own as Batman spoke, "We didn't follow you."

They looked between the different arrowheads. Robin seemed very humble now as he spoke, "And that's not your arrow, but that means-"

He and Wally began to smile along with Emerald, "Speedy!"

"He has our backs," Aqualad was also smiling.

Wally grabbed the arrow, "Souvenir." Emerald's smile dropped as she noticed Batman and Green Arrow share a look. Could it be that there was another archer out there?

Superboy walked up to Black Canary as Emerald's phone began to ring. That reminded her, mom was supposed to call her back and call her when they reached Central City. What had taken so long? She walked over to a separate corner and answered, though she frowned when she didn't recognize the number, "Hello?"

 ** _"Hello, is this Erica West,"_** a voice replied.

"Yes," she answered slowly, a pit forming in the center of her stomach.

The person sighed, **_"This is the Central City Hospital. I'm afraid to inform you that your parents have been in an accident."_** Her eyes widened. **_"The highway they were on, fell into a sink hole and them with it. We got them out, but they are gravely wounded-"_**

She hung up the phone and flew over to the zeta tubes, Wally looked over, "Hang on, Emerald. We're supposed to go together."

She ignored him as she set the destination and flew through. The minute she arrived in Central City, she deactivated her ring and began to run to the hospital. She burst into the lobby, startling the receptionist who appeared to be dialing a number. "Where are my parents?"

"I'm sorry," it was the person from the phone.

"My name is Erica West," she stated, breathing heavily with a panicked look in her eyes. "Where. Are. My. Parents?"

The lady sighed and came out from behind the desk, "Come with me." Erica quickly followed her into the elevator and up to the third floor. Tears pricked her eyes as she wondered what could've happened to them. The doors opened and there was a doctor standing there, rubbing his head. "Doctor Walsenburg." The man looked up. "This is Erica West."

He looked at her sadly, "I'm sorry for your lost."


	6. Chapter 6

Erica walked slowly out of school to meet up with her cousin. Ever since her parents died she'd been living with Wally. This made it harder for her and Hal to work together but it worked out for her. She needed some time to come to terms with what had happened.

Wally explained it to the team and since then all of them had tried to comfort her, she just wanted to be left alone. She knew that Wally had had a rough first day, but she'd just gone through the motions. It was hard for her to care about it when she'd just lost her parents. It felt like she was underwater, waiting for someone to pull her up because she'd lost her only bit of solid ground and didn't want to believe it.

As soon as she met up with Wally he began to lead her towards their new home, "Come on, we need to join the others at the beach."

She nodded and followed him. He frowned at the lack of response but lead her anyway.

They entered the base, Erica was wearing her regular clothes, spinning her ring absentmindedly around one finger. Her cousin was loaded down with different items for the beach, shouting as soon as the Zeta tube began to slow down, "The Wall-man is here. Now let's get this party star-"

She barely glanced at him as he tripped, sending all of the items crashing to the ground. The others were dressed in their costumes and Batman looked unimpressed as the beach ball bounced behind him. She bent down and helped him up as he finished his sentence and a new voice spoke, "Wall-man, huh?" Aqualad moved to the side, revealing a blonde girl in a green uniform standing in front of Green Arrow holding a green bow as Erica looked up in surprise, "I love the uniform. What exactly are your powers?"

Wally stood, "Uh, who's this?"

"Artemis, your new teammate," the girl replied.

"Kid Flash, and this is Emerald Lantern," Wally gestured at Erica. "We've never heard of you."

"Um, she's my new protégé," Green Arrow stepped forward, putting a hand on Artemis's shoulder.

"What happened to your old one," Wally asked as the Zeta tubes beeped.

Everyone glanced at Emerald as she did nothing, before turning to look at the Zeta tubes as Roy entered the base. She knew that they expected her to smack him, but she didn't have the motivation to do so. She turned to look at Roy as he spoke, "Well, for starters, he doesn't go by Speedy anymore. Call me Red Arrow."

Even he looked at Emerald with the others, as if expecting her to say something, but she remained quiet. Green Arrow stepped forward, not noticing her silence, "Roy. You look-"

"Replaceable," Roy finished, walking toward his former mentor. He paused by Emerald and squeezed her shoulder, barely earning a glance from her.

"It's not like that," Green Arrow replied. "You told me you were going solo."

"So why waste time finding a sub," Roy asked. Emerald just backed away, normally she'd pick one side or the other but now she sensed this wasn't her place to say anything. "Can she even use that bow?"

Artemis narrowed her eyes, stepping up to him, "Yes, _she_ can."

"Who are you," Wally asked. Both Artemis and Green Arrow replied, proclaiming their new teammate as the archer's niece.

"Another niece," Robin chuckled, elbowing Emerald slightly.

"But she is not your replacement," Aqualad stated as he walked toward Roy who turned toward him. "We have always wanted you on the team, and we have no quota on archers."

Wally started to say something but Emerald nudged him, the first intervention she'd made all day. Artemis stepped forward, "Whatever, I'm here to stay."

Roy began to leave, when he stopped by the Atlantean who spoke, "You came to us for a reason."

"Yeah," Roy looked at him, "a reason named Dr. Serling Roquette."

"Nanorobotics genius and claytronics expert," Emerald stated as Robin pulled up some pictures, "at Royal University in Star City."

"She vanished two weeks ago," Robin stated as they glanced at Emerald. Her voice had sounded so devoid of life.

"Abducted two weeks ago by the League of Shadow," Roy corrected.

Robin seemed to become excited, "Whoa. You want us to rescue her from the Shadows?" He, Miss Martian, and Wally moved closer.

"Hard-core," Wally breathed, fist bumping Robin.

"I already rescued her," Roy stated, walking forward some more. "Only one problem. The Shadows had already coerced her into creating a weapon. Doc calls it the Fog, comprised of millions of microscopic robots, nanotech infiltrators capable of disintegrating anything in their path- concrete, steel, flesh, bone." Emerald walked toward the picture of one of the robots as he continued, "But its true purpose isn't mere destruction. It's theft. The infiltrators eat and store raw data from any computer system and deliver the stolen intel to the Shadows. Providing them access to weapons, strategic defense, cutting-edge science and tech."

"Perfect for extortion, manipulation, power broking," Artemis added, though she looked bored. "Yeah. Sounds like the Shadows."

Wally scoffed, "Like you know anything about the Shadows." Artemis smirked. "Who are you?!"

"I suppose Roquette is working on a virus for this," Emerald asked.

Roy nodded and Robin seemed to piece it together, "But if the Shadows know she can do that…"

"They'll target her," Roy finished. "Right now, she's off the grid. I stashed her at the local high school's computer lab."

"You left her alone," Green Arrow asked, his eyes wide.

Roy seemed irritated by his mentor's question, "She's safe enough for now."

"Then let's you and I keep her that way," Green Arrow stated.

"You and I," Roy asked. "Don't you wanna take your new protégé?"

Batman put a hand on Green Arrow's shoulder, stopping him from going any further. Green Arrow then looked at his former sidekick, "You brought this to the team. It's their mission, which means it's hers now, too."

Roy scoffed, "Then my job's done." He began to walk toward the Zeta Tubes, before stopping, "Emerald." She looked at him, tilting her head. "I'm sorry."

She nodded, "Thank you, Roy." With that he left, updating his name in the computer along the way. Wally glared at Artemis who looked away, glaring at him in return. Once again, the team looked at Emerald as if she was supposed to do something, but she didn't bother. There was no point at the moment.

Emerald was inside the computer lab, leaning against the wall. She had put on her ring, but now her suit was entirely black which seemed to fit the occasion. Her eyes were trained out the window as Miss Martian spoke, _"Everyone online?"_

 _"Ugh, this is weird,"_ Artemis stated, holding the back of her head at the initial feeling.

 _"And distracting,"_ Roquette added, still typing.

 _"Coding a distributive algorithm virus on a computer with lower standards then you're used to must be difficult,"_ Emerald nodded, causing everyone, even the doctor, to look at her.

Roquette nodded, _"And now I have to hear teen-think in my skull!"_

 _"Lady,"_ Wally began as he chewed on a snack, _"do you always complain when someone tries to help you?"_

Artemis rolled her eyes, _"Pot, kettle. Have you met?"_

 _"Hey. Hey, I do not need attitude from the newbie who drove Red Arrow off the team,"_ Wally snapped.

Artemis quickly stood as Robin looked at Emerald, _"That is so not on me."_

Roquette seemed to be getting frustrated, so Emerald decided to step in, turning from the window, _"Enough you two. The fate of the world is at stake."_

 _"She started it,"_ Wally said childishly.

 _"And I am ending it,"_ Emerald stated, her suit beginning to turn red, before all energy seemed to seep from her. _"Look can we not fight?"_

 _"How 'bout I just help Miss Martian and Superboy patrol the perimeter,"_ Artemis asked. _"And maybe you're depressing attitude won't rub off on me?"_ This time Robin and Aqualad joined Kid Flash in glaring at her.

Emerald merely sighed and looked at Roquette, _"I apologize for the distraction, Doctor Roquette."_ The woman nodded as Robin tried to tell Wally to back off as Artemis was the one who shot the arrow at Amazo on their last mission.

Roquette seemed to be having trouble focusing. Emerald looked at Aqualad, who came closer to the scientist, _"The virus won't be of much use if we cannot find the weapon. Can you track it?"_

 _"My utility Fog is not a weapon,"_ Roquette stated. _"It's science, brilliant science, and of course I can track it, but I'd have to go online. Might as well rent a billboard with this address and 'assassinate me' written in neon."_

 _"We will protect you,"_ Aqualad replied, putting a hand on Roquette's shoulder.

Roquette hit a button, _"Tracking the Fog now."_

Emerald looked back out the window, before stepping away from it. She knew that Artemis's comment had upset the others but she hadn't really cared. It was the truth at the moment, she just kind of wished that she could reverse time and go looking for her parents when they hadn't answered the phone. She blocked out the others for a moment as her ring flashed, barely perceptible against the darkness.

Something was outside, or perhaps it was already in the building. Robin left the room and she reentered the conversation, walking toward the door to look both ways. She snapped her fingers twice, gaining Aqualad's attention and pointing toward her ring. He nodded, _"Stay alert, we may have company."_

 _"Oh, did your friend say that when she finally stopped crying in the corner,"_ Artemis asked.

Wally glared at thin air, _"Don't disrespect Emerald."_

 _"Emerald,"_ Artemis asked. _"I thought that was a shade of green."_

 _"Enough,"_ Emerald interrupted, _"don't make me use some techniques the Blue Lanterns taught me. I'm not afraid to knock both of you out."_

She could practically see Artemis smirk, _"So the kitty does have claws. How cute."_

 _"That is enough,"_ Aqualad intervened. _"Keep an eye out, we are not alone."_

Emerald took a calming breath, she might have to use some of those techniques on herself. Her ring flashed once more, but a bit brighter. She turned just as the door opened slightly and something was tossed in. Aqualad jumped in the way, revealing that it had been a shuriken, as he shouted, "Doctor, get down!"

Roquette looked at the door, just as another shuriken was thrown and Aqualad intercepted it again, Emerald moved closer to the doctor, ready to put up a shield. A woman entered the room, holding a pair of sais, "Hmm, that had to hurt."

Aqualad pulled them out and reached for one of his weapons, "Atlantean skin is quite dense."

"And my shuriken are quite poisoned," the woman replied, attacking Aqualad. Emerald pulled Roquette to her feet.

Aqualad kicked the woman away, but she landed on her feet, _"M'Gann, Kid, Artemis, we are under attack in the computer lab."_

 _"On our way,"_ Artemis replied.

The woman began advancing on Aqualad, who kept himself between his attacker and Emerald who was protecting Roquette. He was taken down and the woman tossed a sai at Roquette only to have Emerald create a dartboard and stop it, landing right in the bullseye. The woman's eyes visibly widened under her mask, as if she just realized Emerald's presence, "Hmm, aren't you supposed to be a Green Lantern?"

"Perhaps," Emerald replied, tossing the sai to the side. Aqualad began to attack the woman again and Emerald grabbed Roquette's arm, opening a window, _"Until it is safe, I suggest we take our leave, Doctor. Hold on tight."_

She picked up the scientist and flew out the window, hovering over the school, waiting for Aqualad to let her know when the coast was clear. There was smoke and she narrowed her eyes, until Aqualad spoke, _"Emerald, come back in."_

 _"Coming,"_ she entered the room as Wally began to yell.

"This is all your fault," he shouted at Artemis. "You were on perimeter! How'd that Shadow get in?!"

Miss Martian stepped toward him, "That's not really fair. I was outside too."

"Outside being distracted-"

"Wally, enough," everyone winced at Emerald's tone, her suit becoming red. "It doesn't matter whose fault it is, what matters is that we finish the virus and get it to Robin and Superboy so they can stop the Fog. We need to focus because an assassin now knows where we are." She took a calming breath again and rubbed her temples as her suit went back to being black. "I'm going on patrol."

She heard Robin come in over the comps but she didn't stop, she just needed to be by herself for a moment. Stopping at the pool she looked down at her own reflection, she never thought it would come to this, being so far into grief that she didn't even have the willpower to become a Green Lantern again. Her ring flashed and she looked down, it was Hal, "Yes."

 ** _"Hey, Emerald,"_** he greeted as a holographic version of himself appeared. **_"Thought you would like to know that I'm investigating the highway, something about it just doesn't seem right."_**

She frowned, "How so?"

 ** _"It may be nothing, but I don't think highways just sink like that,"_** Hal stated. **_"I'll let you know if I find anything of importance."_**

"Alright," she nodded, feeling Aqualad calling out to her telepathically. "I've got to go, Hal." He nodded and his holographic version disappeared. She frowned, what could've been suspicious about a sinkhole?

She walked with Aqualad outside of the building where they'd put Wally and Artemis, she honestly didn't think that the two of them would make a very good team, but she had faith in Aqualad's plan. No one said anything but she could practically feel their hate in her mind. Apparently so could Aqualad, _"Stop it, both of you."_

 _"What,"_ they both asked.

 _"We can hear you glaring,"_ Emerald stated, her voice tired. She and Aqualad moved through the trees.

He looked at her and she nodded before he shouted, "Miss Martian, stay in camouflage mode and make a wide perimeter sweep."

There was a rustling of leaves and her ring flashed before some sticky things got onto their heads. Emerald didn't change her facial expression as she was pulled up into the trees, creating a pair of scissors that she was about to use when a fist went right through it, breaking her concentration and sending her into Aqualad. They grunted as punch after punch was thrown. Emerald went to throw a punch of her own, only to have her fist grabbed and be tossed out of the tree and into a car.

She groaned as she landed on the ground. Her eyes barely opened as she tried to push herself up, only to fall back down, followed shortly by Aqualad. Although Aqualad was able to stand up again before someone hit him in the back. She felt someone grab her hand with the ring on it when the woman from earlier spoke, "The Martian could return any second, and I'm not keen on evening their odds."

"But I've never seen a Lantern's ring before," another voice said. "Be nice to add to my collection."

"Do it later," the woman snapped. "We end Roquette now."

The person threw Emerald's arm back onto the ground before walking away. Once they left, she opened her eyes and looked at Aqualad, who also had his eyes open. They sat up quickly and then ran to Roquette's real location. The scientist looked up as they entered the café. Emerald went to the backdoor while Aqualad stood at the front, "I've almost got it."

"Good," Emerald stated. They sat in silence for a while until there was a loud thump. "We have company."

"Uploading now," Roquette stated. "And by the way, you said you'd protect me."

Both Emerald and Aqualad looked over as a small, gray ball rolled in. A black light automatically surrounded Emerald, as if her ring was anticipating the worst. Aqualad pulled out his twin swords and Emerald went to his back, though she kept an eye on the pellet, no telling how many people this woman would bring with her.

They both turned as three poison darts were shot down from a vent, each hitting Aqualad's chest. He stumbled back as the woman spoke, "Let's test the limit of your jellyfish immunity, shall we?" Aqualad shook his head but one well-placed kick and he was down on the ground. Emerald created two swords and took a stance in front of Roquette, "Now, tell me, what happened to your green color?"

"If you're hoping to distract me, it won't work," Emerald stated. "I am not going to let you kill Doctor Roquette."

"I don't think you can stop me," the woman stated, taking a step forward, causing Roquette to step back. Emerald didn't move. "Interesting, you'll be fun to test." The woman ran forward, sais out and ready to kill. Emerald blocked with her swords, forcing them to be in the hilt. The woman turned her sais, hoping to break the construct, except that Emerald turned her move against her.

She forced the sais closer together, before letting her constructs meld together in a chain and moving her hands to quickly grab the woman's arms. The woman tried to tackle her but Emerald used her strength against her, turning and sending the woman into a cabinet. She quickly rebounded, tossing her sais at Emerald, who quickly threw up a shield, and then sliding under her feet.

Emerald fell to the floor with a thud and the woman picked up her sais and began to advance on Roquette. The scientist looked at the computer, as did the assassin, as a beep rang out, "So, you finished the virus, eliminating the reason for your elimination, though not the entertainment value."

That did it. Emerald stood as her costume changed once more, going back to being red. She wrapped a chain around the assassin's leg and yanked. The woman scoffed, "I didn't even get to finish. My orders are clear. Roquette gets to live to program another day. After all, doctor, the shadows may find another use for you."

"Unfortunately for you, that day will come while you're behind bars," Emerald growled. The woman scoffed, flipped so she was standing, tossed a poisoned dart then threw down a smoke pellet. Emerald ducked it and then created a fan to blow the smoke away, the woman was gone. She turned and flew through the door, only to see Artemis let her drawstring relax and let the woman disappear, leaving her mask behind. "You want to tell me what that was about?"

Artemis jumped before looking away, "It's a long story. I don't want to talk about it."

Emerald nodded, her costume fading into black, "Alright, I'd be willing to listen, when you're ready."

"Why," Artemis suddenly asked. Emerald tilted her head in confusion. "Why are you being nice to me after all the horrible things I've said to you? And why does your costume keep changing colors, it's giving me a headache?"

"You're at least acting normally around me and not treating me like I'm a fragile piece of glass or that I'm acting weird," she paused. "Actually I have been acting weird, but that's normal for anyone that just lost their parents." Artemis looked at her. "Sorry, that wasn't meant to slip out and my costume changes depending on my mood. Black for sadness and red for anger."

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize," Artemis trailed off as Emerald held up a hand. "Right, you don't want pity, I can understand that." She smiled, which quickly disappeared as Roquette helped Aqualad out of the building.

He looked at them, "Artemis, Emerald, where's the assassin?"

"She, uh-" Artemis began.

"She got away," Emerald intervened.

Wally ran up, hearing the last part and looking at Artemis, "Oh, from you? Big surprise. Notice we-"

Wally leaned forward as Emerald smacked him upside the head, "Enough. How many times do I have to tell you that? I was out here too. Artemis shot an arrow, it knocked off the assassin's mask, and the woman threw down a smoke pellet before either of us were able to do anything." Artemis looked at her in surprise as Emerald picked it up and handed it to Wally, "Here, a souvenir. It was too dark for either of us to see her face."

Aqualad nodded in understanding as he pulled out the darts, "Robin and Superboy neutralized the Fog and Dr. Roquette is safe. Thanks in no small part to you, Artemis." Said girl turned toward them. "Welcome to the team."

Artemis smiled as Aqualad went to shake her hand and Miss Martian walked forward, "I've always wanted a sister. Here on Earth, I mean. No offense, Emerald."

Emerald shrugged as her ring flashed, "Excuse me." She walked a short distance away before letting the hologram of her mentor appear, "What is it, Hal?"

 ** _"Two things,"_** he stated. **_"Remember when I fought the squirrel?"_** Emerald smiled and laughed a little at the memory. **_"Thought that would cheer you up. Second, I found something that I think you might want to see."_**

She frowned at how serious Hal was suddenly being, "I'll be there in a few minutes. Let me just make sure my cousin won't do anything stupid." Hal nodded and she turned to her team members who looked at her in confusion. "What?"

"Squirrel," Wally asked.

"Funny story," she smiled, "but it will have to wait for another time. I'll see you guys around."

Emerald nervously flew toward the hole in the highway that had caused the death of her parents. What did Hal want her to see? Why did he feel strangely about a sinkhole along a highway? What could possibly be going on? She looked down at the hole as Hal flew out to meet her. He said nothing as he gestured for her to follow before diving back down.

She frowned as she went after him. The hole stretched down pretty far and there were scrape marks, like metal on stone but it was on every side. She could see why Hal was suspicious, she hadn't ever considered looking at the place where her parents had stayed for hours, unconscious as they bled out. She hadn't ever wanted to come here. Her eyes widened as she spotted what Hal had wanted to show her. A Manhunter temple.

"What's that doing down here," she breathed out to her mentor. "Why didn't it reactivate like the others? Hal?"

"I'm sorry, Erica," he seemed sad, "I thought you should deserve the truth. It seems that this temple had been slowly falling down to where we are now, but that day…its support finally gave out and brought everything down with it."

She shook her head, "I don't understand."

"This temple was created on a support beam and covered in dirt, in case the Manhunters were ever needed again," he explained. "I don't know why the Manhunters inside didn't reactivate, but the support beam had been giving out for years and…" It didn't seem that he was able to continue. "I'm sorry."

Emerald shook her head and flew out of the hole, needing to put some distance between her and the temple. She needed to clear her head and there was no way Hal could help right now. The only one who could save her from drowning was herself.


	7. Chapter 7

Emerald sat cross-legged in the base on the ground. Her breathing was even and her eyes were closed as she focused on what had happened in the past few days. Since finding out about the Manhunter temple, she was slowly coming to terms with her parents' deaths. Her ring floated in front of her, green as it should be, and she ignored the combat training going on in front of her.

One of her eyes opened slightly when the computer said that Aqualad had failed. Superboy had been getting better at combat training, not enough to beat her, Black Canary, or Kilowog, but better. She glanced up as Red Tornado came out of his room that was above them as Superboy helped Aqualad to his feet.

Wally ran toward the android, "Do you have a mission for us?"

"Mission assignments are the Batman's responsibility," Red Tornado stated.

"Yeah. Well, the Batman's with the Robin doing the dynamic duo thing in Gotham," Wally replied, gesturing toward the Zeta Tubes, "but you're headed somewhere, right? Hot date or a-a mission?" He drew out the last word as if to make himself sound cooler.

"If we can be of help," Aqualad added.

Emerald stood as Red Tornado brought up the holographic computer, her ring going onto her finger as a picture came up of an older man. "This is Kent Nelson, a friend. He is 106 years old…"

Her eyes widened, "Wait, Kent Nelson? _The_ Kent Nelson?" Her teammates looked at her. "Oh come on, that's Doctor Fate."

Red Tornado nodded, "He has been missing for 23 days and was a charter member of the Justice Society, a precursor to the Justice League."

"Earth's sorcerer supreme," Aqualad stated. Emerald could hear her cousin scoff at that and only shook her head. Unlike Wally, she believed wholeheartedly in magic. She had become friends with quite a few magical beings because of it and had gone into a few alternate dimensions as well.

"Kent may simply be on one of his…walkabouts, but he is caretaker to the Helmet of Fate, the source of the Doctor's mystic might, and it is unwise to leave such power unguarded," Red Tornado continued.

"He's like the great sorcerer priests and priestesses of Mars," M'Gann seemed to be in awe. "I would be honored to help find him."

"Me too," Wally raised his hand up as if he was in class. Emerald rolled her eyes at him. "So honored, I can barely stand it. Magic rocks."

Emerald chuckled at this before looking at Red Tornado who was holding up something that looked like a key, "Take this." She accepted it. "It is the key to the Tower of Fate." She examined it in awe, she had never imagined that she would ever hold this in her hand or that she would be able to go to the Tower. It was like a dream come true.

She looked up at Red Tornado and smiled, "Cool. I think I know the way, as long as the Tower's location hasn't changed from when it was burned into my brain by the Lantern." He nodded and turned to the computer as they all began to walk toward to the bioship.

Emerald was turned toward one of the windows as they flew toward their destination. Her eyes closed as she meditated once more, her ring resting comfortably on her finger. Wally and Artemis had been bickering for a bit causing her eye to twitch in annoyance. Finally, she had enough, two blue hands reached out of her ring and smacked both of them on the back of the head. Artemis looked at her, "What was that for?"

"You're disturbing my meditation," she stated simply.

She couldn't tell if one of them was going to reply as Miss Martian spoke, "We've reached your coordinates, Emerald, but-"

"Nothing's there," Superboy finished.

Emerald opened one eye, "You didn't think it would be as simple as just flying here and seeing it, did you?"

"Take us down," Aqualad directed. Emerald sighed and stood as soon as the bioship landed and the ramp was lowered before following her friends out. She crossed her arms as they surveyed the empty field, the exact coordinates that were in her brain. Wally ran around for a moment before coming back to them. Emerald shook her head at his attempts at flirting with M'Gann by pretending to believe in magic. Aqualad frowned, "Emerald, may I see the key?"

She nodded and brought it out, noticing her ring flash slightly, "What are you planning?"

"A test of faith," he replied. "Stand behind me." He walked in between Artemis and Superboy, before inserting the key into thin air. She could hear the sound of a lock clicking and before they could even blink, a large tower appeared in front of them, stretching up into the sky and seeming as if it had been there all along.

She smiled him, "Kaldur, you're a genius! Can't believe that Robin's missing out on this!" Aqualad smiled before pushing the door open and they all walked in. Emerald looked around in awe, "Man, I love magic!"

The door swung close behind them and Superboy looked around, "Uh, where'd the door go?"

A glowing image of Kent Nelson appeared, "Greetings. You have entered with a key, but the tower doesn't recognize you. Please state your purpose and intent."

Wally looked at Miss Martian and Emerald's ring flashed as soon as the first word left his mouth, "We are true believers, here to find Doctor Fate."

The image seemed disappointed and disappeared. With its disappearance, the floor rumbled before crumbling down. Emerald blinked as she heard her teammates yell. Looking down she saw a large pit with lava at the bottom. Her eyes widened and she moved down to help, a blue light surrounding her to protect her from the heat. The others began to save each other, leaving Superboy to freefall.

She extended the ring and created a platform, stopping his feet a couple of inches from the lava. He looked up at her and nodded. She moved him higher up and then looked at the others. M'Gann was slowly falling and both she and Aqualad were sweating profusely. She extended the blue platform out, yet the lava seemed to be eating her construct away. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to think, "We never answered the question."

Everyone looked at her except M'Gann who seemed to understand, "Red Tornado sent us to see if Mr. Nelson and the Helmet were safe!"

Automatically, doors closed over the lava, darkening the entire pit. Emerald set Superboy down before landing herself, suddenly feeling a bit weak. She put her hands on her knees and took a deep breath. Magic and her ring didn't usually mix very well. Aqualad commented on the state of the platform as Superboy checked on Emerald. She smiled at him in reassurance that she was fine.

"Enough," Artemis yelled, gaining their attention. She was shoving Wally toward the wall, "Your little 'impress Megan at all costs' game nearly got us all barbecued."

"When did this become my fault," Wally asked.

"When you lied to that whatever-it-was and called yourself a true believer," Artemis stated.

"Wally, you don't believe," M'Gann asked.

Emerald laughed as she straightened, "Him? Believe in magic? It would be easier to make a pig fly by simply sewing bird wings on it than it would be to make him believe in magic."

"Magic is a major load," Wally stated, crossing his arms over his chest.

Aqualad was still feeling the ground, "Wally, I studied for a year at the Conservatory of Sorcery in Atlantis. The mystic arts created the skin icons that power my water bearers."

Emerald shook her head as Wally glared at him as if he was dumb, "Dude, you ever hear of bioelectricity? Hey, in primitive cultures, fire was once considered magical, too. Today it's all just a bunch of tricks."

Artemis began to argue with him when Emerald created a blue barrier, "Enough. Let's just finish what we started and find Kent Nelson. Afterwards, you two can bicker to your hearts' content, alright?" The two looked away from each other as Aqualad sighed. "Let's get going."

Aqualad grabbed a handle on the floor causing Wally's eyes to widen, "Wait! The back-draft from the lava will roast us alive!" Aqualad pulled the handle up allowing snow to come in to the shaft.

Emerald smiled as she caught a few snowflakes in a small ball, "You were saying, Wally?"

"Do you ever get tired of being wrong," Artemis asked said boy.

They jumped down, landing in a snowy area, though the square didn't open up directly above it, rather was more like a window floating in midair. Everyone looked at Wally expectantly as the window disappeared, "Ever hear of string theory? We're in a pocket dimension."

Emerald patted Artemis's shoulder before looking at the landscape, noticing something floating in midair, "Hey, guys, what's a cane doing in the middle of nowhere?"

Everyone looked at it then Artemis began to walk toward it as Wally spoke, "Ooh. Maybe it's Nelson's magic wand." He ran forward and grabbed it at the same time as Artemis, speaking in unison, "I got it." They gasped as the cane glowed, "I can't let go."

They both yelled as the cane dragged them up in the air where they disappeared in a flash of golden light. Emerald sighed, "Time to go save the nitwits."

The four of them began to walk as Miss Martian spoke, "I don't understand Wally. It's almost like he needs to believe the impossible can't happen."

"It's a bit more complicated than that," Emerald said, walking beside Superboy. "If he can't comprehend something, he uses science to explain it and control it. If he actually acknowledged the fact that magic exists, he'd loose his control and his faith in science in a sense."

Miss Martian looked at her, "But you believe in magic?"

"Oh yeah, I have since I was a little girl," Emerald smiled at the thought. "I actually have quite a few friends that are steeped in magic, even in other worlds."

"So what's with your ring," Superboy asked, glancing down at her hand. "I don't think most Green Lantern rings could do that."

She looked at it, "None of them can, not even the Guardians are sure why my ring can change which corps it belongs to." They looked at her expectantly. "There are nine lantern corps, some don't exist in our dimension presently, but they still exist and each stands for a different emotion or facet of life. Green is will, yellow is fear, red is anger, blue is hope, orange is greed, indigo is compassion, purple is love, black is sadness or death, and the white is a combination of them all. Currently in our dimension the Green, Yellow, Red, Blue, Orange, and Indigo Lantern Corps exist along with the Star Sapphires or the Purple Lantern Corps."

"And your ring allows you to change which Corps you are loyal to," Aqualad asked.

"Sometimes," she shrugged. "Most of the time it changes depending on my mood, but I usually like to keep it green which takes a lot of willpower to do. But the fact that my ring is able to do that is supposed to be a secret, I bet the Guardians would be furious if you guys knew about it. But oh well."

Superboy was about to ask another question when there was a creaking noise. They turned to see a staircase and an open door on top of a pile of ice and snow. Guess that was their destination.

Miss Martian and Emerald floated down after Superboy and Aqualad who'd fallen through the door. The latter girl smiled as she saw Wally, Artemis, and Kent Nelson. Artemis ran toward them as Nelson looked at Wally, "Friends of yours?"

"Depends on the day," Emerald replied, floating over to them. "It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Nelson." Her ring flashed and she pushed both of them to the ground just as a bolt of electricity went over their heads. She looked up, recognizing Abra Kadabra and Klarion Witch Boy, "Oh great, this seems like the beginning of a bad joke. A Lord of Chaos in the tower of a Lord of Order…" She moved as Abra Kadabra sent a bolt of electricity at her. "Everyone's a critic."

She ran over to Nelson and Wally, who were beside a giant bell. Nelson hit it with his cane and it glowed. They all walked in and reappeared at the top of the tower where a gold helmet was floating. Nelson reached for it when a bolt of red light hit him in the chest. Emerald's eyes widened as she created a shield around them and the helmet. Klarion sent a bolt of red magic at it but she remained firm. His eyes narrowed as he shouted, "No!"

She looked over to see Wally catch Nelson as he fell. Nelson looked at her and motioned her to come closer. Not letting her concentration waver as she leaned down, listening to what he whispered in her ear. Her eyes widened but she nodded in understanding, letting him speak to Wally as Klarion began to assault her shield with more fervor.

 _"Wally, Emerald, we're in trouble,"_ Miss Martian said in their minds. _"Tell Kent that we need Doctor Fate."_

The message was cut off abruptly and Emerald glanced back at her cousin, "Wally, if I stop concentrating for even a second, we'll both be dead and Klarion will get the helmet. You know what you need to do."

Wally nodded though she couldn't see and grabbed the helmet, just as Klarion created two large hands that pierced her shield. She went down on one knee, as she felt her construct begin to falter, and Klarion spoke, "Hey, dumb kid, you put that on, you may never get it off."

At that moment, his claws shredded through Emerald's shield, knocking her to the ground. Wally put on the helmet, as a wave of dark magic hit him, causing Emerald to call his name. When the dark magic passed, Doctor Fate stood there. Her eyes widened as she watched the fight between the two lords in interest. Of course she was concerned about the others, but at the moment, she couldn't help them and she had a feeling she might do more harm than good if she tried to intervene.

When Doctor Fate went down and Klarion began to create a storm cloud above them, she couldn't resist. As the lightning came down on Doctor Fate, who was trying to get up, she formed a shield around him gaining the attention of both of them. The cat hissed at her and she glared right back at it as an idea came to mind, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it difficult for a Lord of Chaos or Order to maintain a physical form on this plain of existence?"

"What do you know about the mystic arts, brat," Klarion asked, not relenting.

"Not much, but enough to realize what that cat is," she smirked as she expanded the bubble so Doctor Fate could stand before opening a small hole in the shield. He flew out and Klarion let the storm cloud disappear as he began to focus his attack once more on his rival. Doctor Fate let out a beam of energy that went right past Klarion who had raised a shield and hit the cat.

"Teekl," Klarion yelled, making Emerald feel a bit bad for the cat. "I can't believe you would assault a defenseless pussycat."

"We all know that creature is no cat, Witch Boy," Fate replied, "and without your familiar, you have no anchor in this reality." Klarion began to flicker.

"Bully," Klarion spat, glaring at both of them. "Killjoy! Geezer!" Fate sent another beam of magic at him. "Holy crap." He jumped into a portal that he created as Emerald laughed at the irony. The portal opened above Teekl who he picked up, "We're outta here!"

Tendrils of dark magic shot up into the sky, disappearing into nothingness. Emerald looked at the Lord of Order who turned to her, "I don't mean to bother you, but my friends are in trouble inside the tower. Can you please help them?"

Fate nodded and then turned around, looking straight ahead, unmoving. She bit her lip as he began to speak and pause, as if she was only listening to half of the conversation. Wally removed the helmet. He walked over to Kent's body and placed the pocket watch in his hand before securing it in Kent's grasp. She put a hand on his shoulder as if to say it would all be okay as the others came and joined them. It would all be alright somehow.

"Hey, Erica." Said girl hummed in response to her cousin, not looking up from the book she had been reading since they got back to base. "What did Kent Nelson tell you? Before he died, I mean."

She paused as if debating whether or not to say it, "He said you were an idiot."

"He did not."

"Did to. He said that you were an idiot for coming to the Tower of Fate as a nonbeliever."

"He did _not_ say that."

"Does this look like the face of someone who would lie to you about something so important?"

"Yes!"

The other members of the team chuckled as the cousins bickered. Somethings would never change.

"I am not an idiot!"

"That's what he said."


	8. Chapter 8

Emerald groaned as she laid in the ground as the rest of her team was getting beat up by Clayface. She had been the first one to be taken down and had lost all energy to get back up. She could see Aqualad getting tossed around by the villain but could do nothing to help, the others had already been taken out. Clayface was about to hit Aqualad with an item akin to an anvil when the glass above broke and Batman entered, intervening.

Batman landed in front of her, blocking her sight until Clayface was just a pile of, well, clay. She sighed as she weakly pushed herself up before falling back down. Batman bent down and helped her stand, although the others might not be aware Batman did have a soft side that he mostly showed when people were at their weakest, just like Kilowog. She nodded at him in gratitude before looking at the rest of her team. They were still out. Great.

"I need to talk to Aqualad," Batman stated when they got back to base. "The rest of you, hit the showers and head home."

"Head home," Superboy asked. "I am home." Emerald sighed, giving a reassuring look to Aqualad over her shoulder, though he only focused on Batman. She slumped her shoulders and moved toward the showers. Superboy glanced behind him, "You okay, Emerald?"

"Yeah, just…" she trailed off as she looked down. "I just have a lot on my mind."

He put a hand on her shoulder, "If you need to talk-"

She smirked, "Says the guy who doesn't like to talk about his feelings."

"Never said I wouldn't listen to others'," he replied, smiling. She laughed before separating to go into the girl's bathroom. This had certainly been a long night.

Emerald smiled as she entered the living room of her uncle's house. The others were sitting around a table, laughing as they celebrated the birthday. It was so sad that her parents weren't here to celebrate, but she knew what they would've wanted. She had heard Wally's parents tease him about cleaning the table and chuckled. Holding the wrapped present she approached the table as Jay's wife placated him about her comment, comparing his cleaning skills to Wally's.

Jay looked at her as she held out the present, "I thought I already received a present from you. That nice cake you baked that Barry's bringing out."

She smiled, almost sadly, "Yes, but this is from mom and dad." Everyone looked at the gift in surprise. "I don't know what it is, but they said it was special though."

"Thanks, Erica," he said with a smile, gently taking it.

"It's no problem, Uncle Jay," she replied giving him a hug. "Besides, Wally's fast enough when he wants to be. My Green Lantern skills are telling me that we are suddenly out of ice cream."

"Wally," his mom scolded, glaring into the kitchen.

"Uh, happy birthday," Wally replied around what sounded like a spoon. Erica laughed as her aunt sighed. She turned as she heard the sound of wrapping paper being pulled back. Jay was opening the present. Underneath the paper was a small white box inside of which was a scrapbook. Barry set down the cake as everyone watched Jay pull it out and he began to flip through it.

A smile broke out on his face at the first picture, his wife leaning over and they began to flip through the pictures, pointing out the different things going on. Soon everyone was leaning over their shoulders, cake forgotten for the moment. The last picture though, stopped the older couple in their tracks. It was a picture of them smiling happily at the camera on a beach, there were burn marks around the edges but most of the details could still be made out. Jay touched it gingerly, "I thought that this was lost forever."

"It was in that fire," Joan added. "How did Rachel and Robert find it?"

"No idea," Jay breathed. "Bless those two. The only copy of our honeymoon photo." He gently closed the book and Joan took it, opening it back up to the last page once more and touched it gently.

Barry looked at everyone, "Well, uh, shall we eat the wonderful cake Erica made?"

Erica entered the base with Wally, just as the others arrived. She smiled at them as they walked into the main area where Batman was speaking to Aqualad, "Just in time for your next mission." The mentor turned to them. "The Watchtower detected an immense power surge in the Bialian desert."

Ah, this sounded like fun.


	9. Chapter 9

_"Guys, come on, answer me,"_ Emerald thought as she flew over the desert. It had been this quiet in her mind for hours. She sighed. _"Alright, guys, very funny. I learned my lesson, never fly out of telepathic range again. Knock it off and say something."_ She hovered over the sand when there was still no answer. "Great, I hope they didn't leave without me."

She began to fly forward again her eyes searching the sand for any sign of her friends. Where could they be? None of them would have left her behind without saying anything. So why weren't they answering? Could something have happened to Miss Martian and all of the communication was out because of it? Ugh, why couldn't everyone have lantern rings like her and Hal? Then this would never happen. Or at least she'd be able to get a sense of what was happening.

The sun was coming over the horizon when the explosions began going off, leaving clouds of dust and smoke in the air. So much for the stealth portion of the mission. She glared up at the sky as if it was the source of her problems. What did those idiots think they were doing? First they cut off communication with her, then they starting blowing stuff up? Batman wasn't going to be happy with them, that is if they survived when she got her hands on them.

By the time she reached the area, it was nightfall and she was mostly following the sound of gunfire, hoping that her team would be the cause. Seriously, what kind of friends just stop talking to you without any explanation? She narrowed her eyes when she spotted four of them, and a Biaylan soldier sneaking up behind them with a gun. Just as he prepared to fire at Robin, she swooped down, a green hand grabbing the gun and breaking it before throwing him over the heads of her team and into a sand dune.

They looked up at her as she glared at them, "You four better have a good reason for cutting off communications and getting rid of our cover. This _was_ a stealth mission! Now, start talking before I pummel you all to Oa!" Her suit turned a little red during the last sentence as her anger boiled over.

Robin was the first to speak, "Stealth mission? What are you talking about, Emerald?"

"Wait, you remember," Miss Martian asked in surprise, looking at her.

"Duh, I remember, what are all of you talking about," Emerald asked looking at them. "Where are Superboy and Aqualad, by the way?"

"Wait, who and who," Artemis asked, now Emerald was just confused. "Why are you mad at us?"

Robin looked at her, "Emerald, what's today?"

She rolled her eyes, "September 4th, why?"

"So you remember the past six months," he asked again.

"Yeah," she crossed her arms over her chest before it clicked. "Wait, are you guys saying that you don't remember the past six months?" They all nodded. "Not sure if that's a blessing or a curse."

"Why are we in Bialya," Robin asked.

"Batman's orders," Emerald replied. "There was a series of strange energy signatures coming from this desert. Batman sent us in to investigate. Radio silence was mandatory so Miss Martian's telepathy was used to help us remain in contact if we moved out of hearing distance or if an enemy was close by."

Robin smirked a little, "So we work for Batman?"

"How do you know we don't work for my mentor," KF asked while poking his chest, causing his suit to become its usual yellow color. He touched it again, "Whoa. This is so cool!"

Emerald rubbed her temples, "Wally, please stop activating and deactivating your stealth tech."

"Is he the only one with the stealth tech," Artemis asked as Robin seemed about ready to poke his own chest to see if his costume changed. Emerald nodded. "Alright, we need our memories back before we can help out Super-whatever."

"Superboy," Emerald replied, "and I don't know where Aqualad is and that's very troublesome."

Wally looked at her, "Kaldur's here too?"

"He's the leader of our team," Emerald replied. "Has been since Santa Prisca." She turned to Miss Martian. "You're the telepath, can you help get their memories back?"

Miss Martian nodded and placed her hands up to her temples, eyes glowing. Emerald looked around as the scenery changed. Miss Martian spoke, "I brought you into my mind to share what I've remembered so far. But I need everyone's help. Together, our broken memories can form a whole, if you open your minds to mine. And Emerald's memories will certainly help with bridging any gaps."

"You want to paw through our private thoughts," Artemis asked.

"I have no wish to intrude, but-" Megan began.

"You need to hack our minds to grok what happened to us," Robin interrupted. "Got it. Go."

Emerald looked at him, "Grok?" He shrugged. Before Wally could speak she smacked him upside the head, "Don't make a fool of yourself. You already did that when we went to the Tower of Fate."

Everyone looked at Artemis, "Last six months only, and only what you need."

Now everyone looked at Emerald, "What? You should all know that I'm willing to do anything to help out the team. What are friends for?"

Miss Martian nodded and four hands reached out to touch theirs. Emerald was already prepared; she had closed off certain sections of her memories to guide the team a bit more in what they needed. She witnessed once more the mission briefing Batman had given them and the moments before everyone had stopped talking. Robin had picked up a brief anomaly on the outskirts of the desert and she went to go check it out. Unfortunately, with Miss Martian going into camouflage mode and approaching the tent where the object was located, she had moved out of range.

"What happened next," Robin asked when they all snapped out of it.

"I-I don't know, that's the last thing I-we remember," Miss Martian replied.

Emerald sighed, "We landed 24 hours ago and if Aqualad's been wandering the desert, it's very possible that he's unconscious somewhere."

Robin pulled up his gauntlet, "Now that I know to look for him…He's close, but he's not moving."

"Let's not waste any time," Emerald stated automatically creating a platform under everyone's feet and flying in that direction. He was lying down on the sand between some rocks. When Emerald held him gently, he began to speak in Atlantian. "Oh, Aqualad, I'm sorry you weren't found sooner."

"I can't restore his memories in this condition," Miss Martian stated.

"He needs immediate rehydration," Robin stated. "Call the bioship."

She looked at them, "It's out of range, but you can get him there fast."

Wally looked at her, "He's too heavy and I'm too low on fuel. Right now, I couldn't even carry her."

Emerald looked at her cousin as he pointed at Artemis, "It looks like you're barely standing as is. My ring's too low on juice at the moment, thanks to all the flying around I had to do." She looked down. "Miss Martian, we'll get Aqualad to the bioship. You go find Superboy. If you guys truly did forget the past six months, then all he has is animal impulse. You're the only one who can help him."

"But Superboy's indestructible, just ask the tanks he blew up," Wally stated pointing behind him. "Aqualad needs Megan's help now."

She stood, "Just because he's indestructible doesn't mean that he can't be hurt. Judging by the fact that there hasn't been any more clouds of smoke or dust, that means he's probably been captured."

Before anyone could argue, Miss Martian began to fly away and Robin looked at Emerald, "We don't know what erased our memories."

"You just need to have faith, Robin," she replied, grabbing one of Aqualad's arms and pulling it over her shoulder as her ring flashed, letting her know it was getting low. "Come on, I know where the bioship is. We can get Wally some more food and I can power up my ring, we can help Aqualad, and then we can help Miss Martian and Superboy."

Everyone nodded and they began to move out.

Emerald felt like passing out as she moved along with Aqualad, she had used a small bit of her ring's power to create a small thing so she was rolling Aqualad along to make it easier on herself. All she wanted to do was curl up and sleep. She stumbled along as Robin directed her behind a rock with the others as some soldiers passed by.

"We can't risk a firefight with Aqualad KO'd like this," Robin stated as he looked over at their friend.

"He's not the only one," Kid Flash stated. "I'm way out of juice, Artemis is almost out of arrow's, and Emerald looks like she's about to pass out."

"I'm fine," she waved it off.

He shook his head, "No you're not. You didn't sleep at all while we lost our memories did you?" She didn't reply. "Thought so." He turned as Robin disappeared. "Ugh. I forgot how much I hate it when he does the ninja thing." Emerald sighed as she tuned out the rest of their conversation. Her head perked up as she spotted Robin coming back and breaking up the little spat. "Dude, where were you?"

"Breaking radio silence," Robin smirked. Laughter echoed out and after a little bit, there was an explosion and a cloud of smoke went up. "That's our cue. Move!"

Emerald sleepily stumbled to her feet, dragging Aqualad with. When would this night be over?

Emerald sat sleepily in one of the chairs inside the bioship. When they had gotten to the bioship, her ring was completely drained, Robin and Wally were pulling Aqualad along, and Artemis was helping her walk. She jumped slightly when Miss Martian spoke, _"Hey, everybody. I've got Superboy. He's back to normal and we're on our way."_

 _"You should take offense, Superboy,"_ Emerald mentally yawned. _"Normal is an insult."_

Superboy chuckled, _"Glad to see you're still the same."_

Aqualad gasped and sat up, "Who are you and how did you get inside my head?"

Emerald chuckled and fell asleep in the chair with a smile on her face. The team was all back together.


	10. Chapter 10

"Ready for school, I made our lunches," Miss Martian called as Emerald entered the base in her regular clothes. Superboy seemed to be fixing a bike while Aqualad, Red Tornado, and Martian Manhunter followed the green-skinned girl.

"The first day of a scholastic season carries great cultural resonance," Manhunter stated. "We want to wish you both well."

"Guess it's not a Kryptonian thing," Superboy said dejectedly.

Emerald walked toward them, "Don't worry about it, Superboy." Everyone looked at her. "The Man of Steel just has a stick up his butt that he doesn't know how to get out."

"Emerald, shouldn't you be at school," Aqualad asked.

"I have a report to do, so I was given the day off," she smiled then looked at the two newest to the school system. "A little advice, become friends with all of your teachers and your principal, you can do a lot more that way. Anyways, I actually stopped by to catch a Zeta tube to Taipei to watch the peace negotiations."

Aqualad shook his head before looking at Superboy and Miss Martian, "You may wish to change before you depart."

"Ah, I spent hours choosing this outfit," Miss Martian seemed excited as she changed her cape and outfit into regular clothes. She looked at Emerald, "What do you think? Can Megan M'Orzz pass as an Earth girl now?" Emerald gave her a look as Aqualad seemed confused about her skin color remaining the same. "Just kidding." Her skin became white. "Meet Megan Morse. What's your new name?"

"My what," Superboy asked.

Martian Manhunter changed so he looked like a regular human, "I chose the name John Jones for myself and suggested John Smith for Red Tornado. You could be a John too."

"Pass," Superboy stated, folding his arms over his chest.

Miss Martian put her hand on his shoulder, "Connor's always been my favorite name." Superboy shrugged, seeming to accept it.

Emerald shrugged, "I was going to suggest Peter, but whatever floats your boat. You'll also need a last name."

"Perhaps Kent," Manhunter suggested.

"Oh, in memory of Dr. Fate," Megan stated. "The late Kent Nelson." Emerald facepalmed at that.

"Of course," he said slowly as if that's not what he meant.

"Okay," Superboy stated. "Sure. I guess it would be an honor or something."

Emerald grabbed their shoulders and turned them around, "Alright, Megan Morse and Connor Kent, it's time to go to school. Don't want to be late for your first day. Oh and Connor, change your shirt. The red 's' is a dead giveaway."

He sighed and changed his shirt so it was inside out before putting it back on and walking away with Megan, "Wait, shouldn't I be Connor Nelson?"

"They grow up so fast," Manhunter stated. The sphere rolled over to them and began beeping.

Emerald smiled, "Well, I'm off to Taipei. See you guys later."

Erica was catching up on what had been happening during the peace summit when her cell phone rang. She nodded to the reporter before walking away to answer, "Hey, I'm kind of in the middle of a report."

"Red Arrow needs backup," Aqualad replied earning her attention.

"Where?"

She stood in the center of the crowd, pretending to be taking notes while she looked around for anyone who could be a threat. Glancing over, she noticed how the lady with the tea walked and her face. Though it was covered in white paint and the last time she'd seen it, it had been dark, she recognized Cheshire. Lifting a hand to her ear, she spoke, "Aqualad, tea's ready."

He automatically turned and stopped her, everyone around him gasped when he pronounced who she was. Roy automatically drew an arrow and pointed it at the woman while Emerald activated her ring. Cheshire pushed a button on the cart and pushed it towards the Atlantean where it exploded. Emerald and Aqualad had created a shield to protect the people as Roy's arrow had caused the cart to explode and Cheshire was sent back.

Aqualad was breathing heavily as the explosion had nearly wiped out his part of the barrier. His shirt was torn, which was fine as he tore it off revealing his normal suit as Roy joined them in front of the peace committee. Cheshire sat up as Roy spoke, "It's over, Cheshire."

"You would think so," the assassin replied, glancing at Emerald. "Nice to see you're done with the gloomy black." Emerald narrowed her eyes, ring flashing slightly as a helicopter came up to the hole in the window, revealing Sportsmaster and several other assassins.

"Aqualad, take Sportsmaster, Emerald, handle the assassins," Roy ordered. "Cheshire's mine." Emerald nodded and flew to help out the security guards who were only armed with clubs. She created a hand and grabbed one, he slightly screamed as she smacked him into one of his fellows and began to use him as a flail. Lex Luthor smirked as he watched her, but otherwise remained in his seat.

One of the assassins launched himself into the air, sword prepared to slice her in half when she turned and created a sword of her own to parry him. She smirked as her sword became a hand and she slammed him into the ground. Red Arrow activated the sprinklers, allowing Aqualad to control the water. She turned to see what she could do to help just as Cheshire threw a grenade into Aqualad's water serpent's mouth, causing it to explode and smoke to fill the air. The boys began to cough as Emerald created a fan to blow it all away, just as a dark figure jumped out of the smoke, sword raised to attack the ambassadors.

She turned to catch them when Luthor spoke to the woman beside him. The woman lifted her arm, the sleeve tearing as it was revealed to be a gun and shot the man. Emerald floated there as the ambassadors began to thank Luthor. She shook her head and flew over to her friends. Well, this would certainly make for an interesting report.

She gave Aqualad and Red Arrow a two-fingered salute before going out the window and then flying into another room where she deactivated her ring and came out as if confused by all the commotion. Bringing out her notepad, she walked over to a few people and began asking them about what had happened while she had been 'away.'

Erica walked to her principal's office a few days after the peace treaty was signed. She had given the principal her report and had gone on with her schooling as usual, that is until he had called her in. According to the note, there was someone very important there to see her. She knocked on the wooden door before entering when she heard the "come in." Her eyes widened when she opened the door. Sitting in a chair across from her principal was Lex Luthor, the woman with gun for an arm standing beside him.

Mr. Withers, her principal, smiled as he saw her, "Ah, Erica, thank you for coming so quickly. I assume you know of Mr. Luthor."

She nodded, "Of course, it's an honor to meet you in person, Mr. Luthor."

"And it's an honor to meet you," he replied with a smile. "Mr. Withers sent me a copy of your report on the Rhelasian peace negotiations. I was quite impressed. If I didn't know any better, I would've guessed that you had actually been there yourself." The way he looked at her said that he did know that she had been there.

She toed the ground without realizing it, a nervous habit she had formed as a child, "I actually was. I'm friends with a pilot that was able to quickly get me there and back again without any difficulty."

"Oh, that's quite resourceful for a young student like yourself," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Ms. West is one of our finest students, despite this being only her first year in our school," Mr. Withers stated, drawing Luthor's attention. They didn't even know the half of it. She had skipped a couple of grades when she was younger, but kept herself from going any higher as she didn't want to draw too much attention to herself when she became a Green Lantern so she restricted how much she excelled. Her parents had respected her decision but had wished that she wouldn't hold herself back. Of course she didn't plan on that when she went to college.

"So I understand," Luthor nodded. He turned back to her. "So, Ms. West, what do you wish to major in?"

"I hadn't decided yet," she replied, standing flatly on her foot when she realized what she was doing. "There's so much to learn it's hard to make a choice."

"Very admirable," he nodded again. "Tell you what, I'd like you to write me another report and I'll offer you a place as an intern at my local business. It'd look good on any resume."

She nodded, "Uh, thank you, Mr. Luthor. What did you want the report on?"

"The Justice League."


	11. Chapter 11

Erica ran through the streets of her city, trying to get to the alley with the photo booth that was really a zeta tube. Since Lex Luthor had asked her to do that report on the Justice League she hadn't really been able to refuse and had been spending an hour or two after school to get work done on the report. Unfortunately, she had realized she had spent an hour more than she had intended and was now late to get to the base. Hopefully nothing majorly important had happened.

She slid into the booth, activating her lantern ring as she did so. The zeta tube activated as she spoke and she quickly entered the base. Nobody looked away from the table as she entered, "Sorry I'm late I…" She trailed off as she noticed her teammates were looking at the Justice League members. "Um, did I miss something?"

"Only Red Tornado betraying us and letting his siblings into the base to attack us," Robin replied turning slightly with a glare fixed on his face.

"Red Tornado had siblings," she asked.

"Exactly," Wally stated as Green Arrow picked up a bowl and began to leave. "Leave the bowl." He grabbed it and began to shove the food in his mouth.

She shook her head, "Alright, somebody want to fill me in here?"

Miss Martian was about to speak when Superboy walked over to Aqualad and yelled, "You knew?" Aqualad grunted as Superboy grabbed him and forced him back. "That android and his maniac family nearly killed M'Gann!"

"Connor," Emerald quickly flew over and pushed Superboy away. "What are you doing?" She knew very much what M'Gann meant to him, Miss Martian hadn't been able to shut up about the Belle Reve mission once they got back. Emerald swore if she heard Megan mention Connor kissing her one more time she was going to go Red Lantern.

"Kaldur knew we had a traitor among us and said nothing," Connor shouted causing Emerald to flinch back.

The others were walking up when Robin asked, "You knew?"

"And didn't tell us," Wally added.

"When were you told," Emerald asked calmly.

"After Taipei," Aqualad replied looking at her, grateful that she was being calm. "I sought to protect the team from-"

"Protect us from what," Artemis interrupted. "Knowledge that might have saved our lives?"

"You almost died," Connor added looking at Megan.

"Enough," Batman interrupted the team's spat. Emerald sighed and began rubbing her temples and walked over to him, shortly followed by the others. "With Red Tornado missing the team will now be overseen by rotating supervisors. Captain Marvel has volunteered to take the first shift."

Captain Marvel walked forward, "I'm really looking forward to hanging with you guys."

She sensed the others look at each other but she didn't move until she heard Connor begin to threaten Aqualad, that's when she turned around and put a green wall between them. The only thing keeping her from becoming a Red Lantern was the fact that the Justice League was here. "That is enough out of you two. Red Tornado is a member of the Justice League. That means he's a League responsibility. Now get your heads out of your butts and knock it off."

"I have another assignment for this team," Batman awkwardly transitioned. Several newspaper articles popped onto the screen. One being that a "Guerilla Gorilla" attacked the Gotham Mayor. The others began complaining, but she narrowed her eyes. Something about this article didn't seem quite right. "I never joke about the mission." Robin looked down at that. "I've checked the sources. I've studied the patterns. Mayor Hill's encounter is only the latest in a series of incidents. Aqualad, you and your team will depart for India and check this out."

"Alright, let's go," Emerald stated turning and beginning to walk to the hanger, patting the sphere along the way. It took all of her will power to not smack her teammates upside the head when she faintly heard Wally scoff at what Batman had said. Actually it was going to take everything she had to not strangle them during the mission. Couldn't they just trust Aqualad?

Entering the bioship, she sat in her usual spot and began to meditate, only briefly opening her eyes to give Kaldur a comforting pat on the shoulder before settling in for the long flight. It was certainly tense.

Flying out of the bioship as they landed, Emerald looked to Aqualad for directions, not even blinking when the others left. Her cousin and Robin ran off in one direction. Superboy, Artemis, and Miss Martian got into a fight which resulted in the girls going in one direction and the clone going in another. Captain Marvel broke the silence- oh did she forget to mention he came along? -, "Um, did I miss the part where you actually said what the plan was?"

"No, the others are just being dodo heads," Emerald said, rolling her eyes. "Seriously, their behaving like Red Lanterns. All anger and no trust or cooperation." Aqualad sighed and began to walk away, followed by both of them.

He looked back at Emerald, "Why aren't you mad at me? Kid Flash almost died during the attack on the base."

"Well, first off, I haven't been told much about what happened at base," she replied. "Second, you said you were told in Taipei which means either Cheshire or Sportsmaster gave you the intel, that's unreliable at best, completely true at worst. If I had known that there was a mole, I would've kept quiet about it as well."

"That is-thank you," he looked down as they fell into a sad silence. They had walked for a while when they came across paw prints and bullet casings. Her ring flashed slightly. That couldn't be good.

She began to scan the surrounding foliage while Captain Marvel spoke, "Guess this is where Mayor Hills' monkey business went down. So, at least we've confirmed his story, right?" Kaldur began to walk forward. "Aqualad?"

"My apologies, Captain," he turned to him. "I am…plagued by doubts. Perhaps I was wrong to withhold."

There was a rustling noise and they all tensed and turned to try and find the source. She looked down at the ground to see that the very ground was shaking as whatever was making the noise approached. Looking up, an elephant, a mutated one, tore through the trees and trumpeted as it came closer. Captain Marvel flew up and hit it in the center of its forehead, causing it to slid back. It grabbed his leg with its trunk and sent him into a tree, causing it to shatter on impact. Emerald flew and created a cage around it, though it merely destroyed the cage with a swing of its tusks as a second appeared. The second one smacked her out of the air with its trunk and she barely stopped herself from slamming into a tree herself.

Both elephants began to focus on Aqualad. Emerald was about to fly to help him when she heard a growl. Turning, she saw a large panther that had also been mutated. It had white fur and red eyes, but there were small spikes on its elbows and knees and had large fangs making it appear to be a sabretooth. In normal circumstances she would've stopped to admire its beauty, but now was not the time. The panther hesitated for a moment before launching itself at her with a roar like from the movies.

Emerald went onto her back, a green shield being the only thing protecting her body from its claws and fangs. It growled, teeth snapping just inches from her face, the larger fangs, barely scraping her shoulders with each attack, though it was getting lower and lower. Aqualad's voice shouted out from a different area, "Remove the collar."

Collar? She glanced through her shield to see what he was talking about. Thinking quickly, she shoved the cat off and changed her shield into a hand that grabbed the item and crushed it easily. The panther hit a tree and the remnants of the collar flew off. It shook its head and looked around as if in a daze. She nervously watched it as its gaze shifted to her. The red eyes were fixed, as if it was analyzing her before it stood and padded over. She tensed before relaxing as it rubbed its head up against her leg. Who would've thought?

"Hey there," she whispered to it as she bent down to pet its head. A large purr began come out of its throat. A quick scan, now that it wasn't trying to kill her, revealed that it was actually a boy. She stood, patted the panther's head one more time before walking over to Aqualad and Captain Marvel who were watching the elephants. "So, who do you think could be behind this?" The boys turned and stared. "What?"

"It seems you made a new friend," Captain Marvel commented. She frowned in confusion until she felt something roughly bump into her leg and more purring was heard. How quickly could a cat form an attachment?

She absentmindedly stroked his head, wincing as her new wounds were aggravated, "The others might be in trouble."

Aqualad nodded and touched the communicator in his ear, "Team, report status." He winced and groaned, "Com is jammed. And Miss Martian failed to establish a telepathic link before we split up."

"Actually, you let everyone split up before communications were set," the Justice League member stated. Emerald remained quiet, petting the panther as she watched.

"They would not listen," Aqualad protested.

Captain Marvel shrugged, "I guess. But back at the cave Batman stopped everyone from arguing with one word."

"Because Batman is…Batman." Emerald chuckled at that reply.

"Hey, you don't have to tell me," the "older" man smiled. "When I first joined the League, all he did was boss me around. And it's hard not to take it personally. But…I never disobeyed an order and that's probably what kept me alive."

"Batman takes command," Aqualad muttered. "He has to…for the good of the League."

Emerald hummed in agreement, "Yup. Know what you need to do?"

Aqualad nodded, "Thank you for helping me understand."

"Hey, wisdom of Solomon," Captain Marvel replied, pointing at his temple. Aqualad began to walk, apparently talking to Miss Martian telepathically. Emerald noticed Captain Marvel looking into the forest. "Cool, the tiger! I'll be right back!"

"Wait, Captain Marvel," Emerald called, but he had already flown off. "Hey, speed of Mercury." Aqualad chuckled at that.

 _"Link established,"_ Miss Martian stated telepathically, causing Emerald to jump slightly at the unexpected intrusion.

 _"Should you really still be giving us orders,"_ Artemis asked. _"And should you really be following them?"_

 _"Listen, please,"_ Aqualad begged as Emerald went back to petting the panther to calm herself down.

Wally didn't seem too happy to have the telepathic link set up again as he said, _"Oh, good, Aqualad's voice in my head. I've so missed that."_

 _"Hey, Kaldur, KF and I were attacked by giant vultures,"_ Robin reported. _"'Course since we're moles, you probably think we attacked ourselves."_

 _"If he did, he probably wouldn't tell you,"_ Artemis added. The panther looked up as Emerald stopped petting and clenched her fists. Captain Marvel wasn't here so she didn't have to hold back. Aqualad gestured for her and they began to walk into the forest after the mentioned Leaguer.

Miss Martian was the next to speak, _"Superboy, are you online or just pouting?"_

 _"Busy,"_ he replied. _"Call back later."_

 _"What gets me is how nonchalant he is about not telling us,"_ Kid Flash continued. Aqualad parted some undergrowth and they came across something strange.

Emerald gave her leader a look of encouragement, just as she turned red and Robin added, _"He should be chalant. Way chalant. Extremely chalant."_

 _"How can we be a team if he doesn't trust us with his secrets,"_ Artemis tossed in. Emerald bit her mental tongue to hold back what she wanted to say.

She bent down to examine the tracks that had been made in the dirt with the panther sniffing them as Miss Martian threw a jab in at her boyfriend as the others spoke as well, "Captain Marvel."

 _"Enough,"_ Aqualad growled. Aqualad tore one of the three poles off of its stand. _"Captain Marvel has been captured and we_ must _act as a team to save him."_

 _"Don't speak, Wally,"_ Emerald snapped before her cousin even had a chance to speak.

 _"This is not up for debate,"_ Aqualad added. _"You all chose me to lead. When the mission is over, if you wish to select a new leader I will happily step down. But until that time, I am in command here."_ He tossed the pole down and he, Emerald, and the panther began to walk.

Emerald patted the panther's head once more, _"Remove the collars. That releases them from whatever controls them. Just ask Moon Knight."_

Aqualad looked at her with a raised eyebrow as Wally spoke, _"Moon Knight?"_

 _"A panther that seems to like me,"_ she replied. _"Now, let's get this show on the road."_

They all moved through the ferns silently until they came upon a complex. The panther Emerald had decided to name Moon Knight, growled at the sight of it. She patted his head and looked at Aqualad as her teammates tried to decide a course of action. He simply told them to be ready and that she was as he slid down the hill and used his skin icons to shock the barrier. Kid called when Artemis was supposed to fire her arrow and when it hit a button, she could hear the pylons shutting down.

Emerald patted Moon Knight's head before flying down with the others. They heard howling and she looked up to see a monkey with a collar around its neck as alarms went off. More monkeys jumped off of the complex to attack. Emerald grabbed the first monkey to attack her and broke off the collar. As it ran away, she heard a growl behind her and looked to see Moon Knight pinning a monkey down before he too destroyed the collar. The monkey got up and ran away as she nodded at her new friend.

The others began to quickly remove the collars as the complex doors opened and a gorilla with a machine gun came out. Emerald shook her head as it attacked Miss Martian and Wally tried to run to the rescue only to slam into its chest and go flying back. Emerald turned back to the monkeys as Miss Martian began to handle the gorilla. She had just finished taking off the collar of the last one when Miss Martian sent the gorilla through the wall.

Flying over with the others she noticed a tiger roaring in pain as the collar shocked it while Captain Marvel was strapped to a table. She didn't pay attention to her team, instead she ran over to the table with Moon Knight as the villain, that she heard Wally name as the Brain, spoke to the gorilla. The others focused on the gorilla, as Superboy burst through another wall, and Aqualad fought the Brain.

Moon Knight knocked the laser aside as Emerald tore the collar off of Captain Marvel's neck. He smiled, "Thanks. Now, one good turn deserves another."

The tiger growled as he tore the collar off. The gorilla looked as it took in the sight of all of them. It mostly growled at Superboy and the wolf that came with him, "Try it. I hate monkeys."

It continued to growl until the Brain spoke, "No Mallah, this will not be our Waterloo." He began to transform and immediately Emerald threw up a shield to cover them all, which turned out to be pointless as all that happened was the lights turning off and slowly turning back on with both of them gone.

She let the shield drop as Wally spoke, "Wait, that big weapon thing was a…light switch?"

"Apparently."

They stood by the bioship as they removed the last of the collars and Emerald pet Moon Knight and Superboy pet the wolf. Captain Marvel bent down to look at the tiger as a monkey ran off after Aqualad removed its collar, "That's the last of the collars?" It growled. "And I can count on you to keep the other animals out of trouble?" It growled again. "Good. I'll be back for a visit. I promise."

The tiger growled as it began to walk away. Superboy was talking to the wolf as Emerald smiled at the panther that nudged its head up against hers. "The rest of the pack is gone. What are you still doing here?"

"I think he wants to stay with you," Miss Martian guessed.

"Can I keep him," Superboy asked, looking like an excited child.

Emerald's eyes lit up as she hugged Superboy, "Yes! And I can keep Moon Knight!"

"How are you going to take care of this in the house," Wally asked.

Emerald suddenly looked depressed as if that thought hadn't occurred to her, not noticing that Superboy was slightly blushing as she continued to hug him. Miss Martian quickly popped in, "I could take care of him." Everyone looked at her. "At least while you're not at the base. Moon Knight can stay there and he and the wolf can become friends so they'll never be alone."

She immediately brightened and hugged the Martian, "You're the best!"

"Well, the wolf's gonna need a name," Wally commented causing Emerald to break away from her friend. "Uh, how about Krypto?"

The wolf growled as Superboy said, "Pass."

"Besides, isn't that taken," Emerald asked.

Aqualad began to walk onto the bioship when Robin said, "Look, I need to know. Why did you keep the mole intel a secret?"

The Atlantean looked over as the rest of the team walked over to look at him, even the two animals. He sighed, "As Emerald is aware, the source of the tip was Sportsmaster."

"What," Artemis asked. "You can't trust him!"

"I do not," Aqualad replied. "It seemed possible, even likely that he was attempting to divide the team with false information."

"And how this mission went, he nearly succeeded," Robin added. "But you had to consider it might be true."

"Yes. As leader, I did," Aqualad agreed. "In which case, I did not want to alert the traitor."

Robin sighed, "Hate to say it, but…makes sense."

"Duh," Emerald rolled her eyes. "Why do you think I didn't throw a hissy fit and stomp off?" The others seemed uncomfortable at that.

"I am still prepared to step down," Aqualad offered.

Moon Knight growled as Emerald spoke, "Don't even think about it. All in favor of keeping Aqualad as leader?" Everyone raised their hands. "There you have it."

"Guess it's unanimous," Captain Marvel said, putting a hand of Aqualad's shoulder. He offered his hand and after Aqualad shook it, he began to walk off. "See you tomorrow."

"You're not coming back with us," Aqualad asked in surprise.

"Nope, gotta fly," Captain Marvel flew off.

Emerald smiled and began to walk into the bioship, "You know, I must admit its handy having all the known identities of the members of the Justice League burned into your memory."

"Yeah," Wally began before stopping. "Wait, what now?"


	12. Chapter 12

Emerald stood by Moon Knight, watching Aqualad and Robin train. Her hand absentmindedly scratching between the panther's ears causing it to emit a loud purr. She currently wasn't wearing her uniform as she had just changed the bandages on her shoulders. Unfortunately, the fight last week had left her shoulders cut and they were still healing. Moon Knight's fangs were certainly sharp.

She glanced over as Superboy, Miss Martian, and Wolf entered as Robin and Aqualad called a draw. The two boys had a quiet conversation as Moon rubbed his head against Emerald's side. Every time the panther saw her bandages he immediately stayed close by as if he could apologize to her for what had happened when he wore the collar. Wally and Artemis entered and soon after the zeta tubes activated, letting Batman into the base. He didn't waste a second, "Computer, national news."

Immediately GBS News came on with Cat Grant talking about an attack of plants on Metropolis. The camera showed the Justice League fighting the plants, Emerald came forward, Moon Knight practically glued to her knee. Robin was the first to speak, "Should we get out there?"

Batman turned to them, "No. The League will soon have the situation under control. That's not why I'm here. According to your intel, Sportsmaster supplied Cadmus' Blockbuster formula to Kobra."

"Who combined it with Bane's venom to create Kobra venom," Wally added.

"Which the Brain used to create his animal army," Robin completed.

"And upgrade Wolf," Superboy stated, scratching said animal under the chin.

Emerald nodded, "Don't forget Moon Knight." The panther had immediately dug his claws into the ground at the mention of the Brain.

"The Brain also used the inhibitor collars like the ones at Belle Reve Penitentiary," Miss Martian added, emitting a growl from Moon Knight's throat.

"Batman, is it possible that plant thingy's on Kobra venom, too," Artemis asked.

"I had Green Lantern, the one that isn't Emerald's mentor, run a spot analysis," Batman replied. "The vine cellulose does contain trace amounts of a Kobra venom variant."

Emerald narrowed her eyes, "These can't be coincidences."

Aqualad nodded as Robin brought up his own holographic screen, "Unrelated criminals are cooperating with one another worldwide."

"Exactly," Batman stated. "It's now clear our enemies have formed some kind of… Secret Society of Super-Villains. The attack on Metropolis is only the beginning."

"You got that right," Robin nodded. More screens popped up as he spoke, "Plant creatures have sprouted in Gotham City, Paris, Star City, Taipei…" Suddenly all the screens became static, causing Wally to look at him and Batman turned to look at the screens. "It's not me. Someone's cutting into the satellite signal. _All_ satellite signals."

On all five screens, Joker's face appeared. He knocked on the camera before speaking, "Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt your regularly scheduled mayhem to bring you this important announcement," he turned the camera to look at some people, "from the Injustice League."

He laughed as Count Vertigo spoke with the camera zooming in on him, " _We_ are responsible for the attacks on your cities. If you wish to save them a ransom of ten billion American dollars is required. Delivery instructions have been sent to the United Nations. There is no time limit. But the longer your governments wait…"

"The more we get to have our…jollies," Joker began laughing after turning the camera to focus on him. Then the screens became static.

Batman answered a com link, "Understood, Aquaman. The UN will prepare the ransom as a fallback, but it won't come to that."

The zeta tubes activated, letting Hal enter the base as Robin rewound the video, "Count Vertigo, the Joker, Poison Ivy, Ultra-Humanite, Atomic Skull, Black Adam, Wotan. Seven heavy hitters. Probably behind nearly everything and everyone we've ever faced."

"It gets worst," Hal stated, causing everyone to look at him. "Sinestro's in town, fighting an old friend. I need Emerald's help with this one."

"Which old friend," Emerald asked in confusion.

Hal smiled, "Razer."

"Razer, really," Emerald beamed.

Wally sighed, "Who the heck is Razer?!"

"A Red Lantern," Emerald replied.

"Not anymore," Hal stated. "He's blue now."

Her eyes widened, "Oh? Cool. Well, let's go deal with Funky Eyebrows." She activated her uniform, but then paused as she looked down at Moon Knight. Smiling, she created a harness with wings strapped to it. Moon Knight looked at them and flapped them experimentally. "Come on, Moon Knight, we're going on an adventure!"

Moon Knight roared as he, Emerald, and Hal all raced to the zeta tubes. Emerald smiled and waved at her teammates before she left.

They came through in Star City. Emerald smiled at Moon Knight who was currently getting used to the wings as they flew around several of the plants. Hal was in the lead as they flew toward where the yellow and blue flashes of light were coming from. A vine came straight at her and she merely cut through it.

"Ah, just like old times," Hal commented as they finally reached where Sinestro was about to smack Razer to the side when Hal created a shield, being in the presence of a blue lantern immediately boosting their power. "Just need Kilowog and we'd be set."

"Hal, Erica," Razer said, looking at them. "It is good to see you both again." He then looked at Moon Knight. "What is that?"

Emerald looked at him, "Don't be mean to Moon Knight. He's been through quite a lot in this past week."

"Enough talk," Sinestro growled. He created a sword and charged at Hal, the one he hated the most. Immediately they all broke apart, though Sinestro chased the oldest Green Lantern.

"So, Razer, how's the search for Aya going," Emerald asked, firing a bolt at the first Yellow Lantern.

"Not well," he replied, also firing at Sinestro. "I almost forgot how much you and Hal like to talk during battle."

She smiled and waved her hand at Moon Knight's harness, "Upgrade time, boy." The panther looked at the large cannon now on his back before using it, aimed straight at Sinestro. He didn't even get a chance to throw up a shield as he took a direct hit in the back. They then jumped fully into the battle.

Soon enough, Sinestro was in chains and the plant creatures had stopped fighting. Emerald winced and held a hand to her left shoulder. During the fight, Sinestro had thrown a sword through her shield and it pierced deep, ironically, into her previous wound. She turned to Razer and then gave him a one-arm hug before punching him in the chest. Her old friend doubled over in surprise, "That's for not stopping by for more visits, Razer."

"Sorry," he asked, coughing as he looked up at her nervously. "Ganthet says hello."

"Well, hello to him too," she smiled, patting Moon Knight's head. "So, I assume you didn't just come to help fight Sinestro?"

He shook his head, "I happened to come across him when I approached Earth. I believe there may be something here that can help lead me to Aya."

"Don't worry about it," Hal stated. "Emerald, Razer and I are going to take Sinestro to Oa and then we'll talk to the Justice League. Why don't you and…Moon Knight head back to base, I'm sure Batman will be happy to hear that Sinestro's been detained."

She sighed, "Fine. Come on, Moon." The panther huffed and followed her into the air.

Razer looked at the harness on Moon Knight's back. He was thoroughly confused, even when Erica had lost focus during the battle due to her wound, the harness had never once faltered nor any of the "upgrades" Erica had added. He looked at Hal, "You know that is impossible."

"What is," Hal asked innocently.

"You know exactly what," he looked at him.

Hal sighed, "I'll explain on Oa, it's not safe to talk anywhere else."


	13. Chapter 13

"Pineapple juice," Captain Marvel asked Wally, who currently had a broken arm.

Wally accepted the glass and began to drink out of a straw as he reclined in a chair with Wolf asleep on one side and an end table with different items on it. Emerald shook her head at him as he sighed in content, "Just what the doctor ordered."

"How's the arm doing, Wally," Captain Marvel asked, bending down to look at the cast.

"Well, nothing nachos can't cure," the young speedster stated. The others were training, but Emerald was trying to meditate, claiming that it would prepare her mentally for whatever came up next. Captain Marvel flew off to the kitchen and Emerald shook her head once more, before closing her eyes, focusing on one of the techniques Spirit Walker taught her.

Black Canary's voice didn't even break her concentration nor did the sound of the zeta tubes activating and activating once more. She was too far in. Her mind took her back to Oa. She was in the library, the book open and with the map of the star systems that had living beings and all the places that had been destroyed by Aya when she went…a little crazy. Aya was sitting next to her, flipping through the memories of all their adventures. Erica smiled, it was nice to see her friend again.

She could hear the voices of her teammates talking about Tornado, but she ignored them, though she did listen in, until Aya spoke, "What brought up that conversation?"

"Oh, someone probably entered the cave and it made them feel like the League doesn't trust us so they started a telepathic conversation so they could talk with a sense of safety," Emerald replied. The conversation broke off suddenly. "Looks like someone called them on it."

"Humans are…strange," Aya stated, continuing through the images. She stopped at a picture. "Manhunter temple."

"Huh," Emerald asked, looking over at the AI.

"Manhunter temple," she replied. "Manhunter temple."

Erica set her book to the side, "Aya, are you okay?"

"Emerald, come on," Aya said, though her voice sounded more like Miss Martian's. "We're giving Zatanna a tour." Emerald's eyes flicked open, though her mind rang with Aya's words, why a Manhunter temple and which one?

She looked up at Miss Martian, "What?"

"We're giving Zatara's daughter, Zatanna, on a 'tour' of the cave," Miss Martian said, giving her a slight wink.

Emerald nodded and flew up to her feet, noticing Captain Marvel taking Wolf outside, "Oh, will you take Moon Knight with you? He hasn't been outside in a little and he might need to scratch his claws on something."

"Sure thing," he smiled. The panther looked at his owner before huffing and following.

Emerald smiled and began to follow them, "So, what did Black Canary tell you guys about Red Tornado?" Everyone looked at her. "Hey, just because I was meditating doesn't mean I wasn't listening."

"Oh, I'll remember that for next time," Miss Martian stated before filling her in on the statement that they were to leave Red Tornado to the Justice League. Obviously that wasn't going to happen.

After a little while of the "tour," Zatanna walked up to Robin, "We're not really going on a tour, are we?"

"No," Superboy stated. "We're hunting down that robot."

Aqualad nodded, "Yes. We are."

"Oh, wow," Zatanna began sarcastically. "Out loud and everything."

"What about new girl," Artemis asked.

Robin laughed a little, "I'm sure she won't tell."

"I can't tell," Zatanna smirked, turning to look at Robin. "Not if you kidnap me."

Artemis smirked, "Oh, she's going to fit in great."

Emerald sighed, "Alright. I have a way to solve this officially, so we won't be kidnapping you." Everyone looked at her. "As a Green Lantern, I ask for your assistance to solve a threat on this sector."

"Uh, sure," Zatanna said slowly.

"Great, hold onto this," Emerald said, holding out a patch with the Green Lantern symbol. The other girl took it and it instantly wrapped around her wrist. "Alright, now we can get going."

They flew out of the cave and Emerald looked out the window. She couldn't get Aya's statement out of her head. What was important about a Manhunter temple and which one would Aya be talking about? The first one they had come across as a team, well minus Razer? The first one that anyone discovered had been activated? Or the one that had fallen, bringing a highway down with it?

She absentmindedly twisted her ring around as they directed the bioship to Belle Reve, to talk to Professor Ivo, who the Justice League had caught a while ago. Why did Aya's words bug her so much? Was it some sort of warning that the Manhunters were going to come back? Or was it some hint that Aya hid some part of her conscious in one of the temples? That had to be it. Once this was done she'd contact Razer and ask him if he had tried it.

They landed at Belle Reve and she flew out with a smile on her face now that she had solved her little meditation-vision dilemma. Warden Strange let them talk to Ivo, as he owed Superboy, Miss Martian, and Aqualad a favor for stopping the break out. However, they had to get all the information they could in five minutes. Miss Martian told Ivo this when they were the room.

Superboy glared down at the professor, "Spill, Ivo. How do we find T.O. Morrow and his reds?"

"Now, why in the world would I know how to find Morrow," Ivo asked as if it was the silliest thing he'd heard.

He looked over as Wally spoke, "Because, and here's a truly dumb idea, you're Morrow's biggest competitor in the evil android game. Who better to keep track of what he's up to, and where?"

"Ah," Ivo smiled, folding his hands on the table. "I see your point. So let me rephrase: Why in the world would I tell you how to find Morrow?"

"He knows," Aqualad stated, causing Zatanna and Emerald to share a look as he looked at Miss Martian. "Do what you must."

Miss Martian's eyes glowed as she tried, but this only caused Ivo to laugh, while Emerald gestured for Zatanna to go ahead, "Oh, please. As if I've never faced a telepath before." Zatanna appeared at his side and said something in Latin. "Morrow's in a secret underground base beneath Yellowstone National Park, 100 meters south of Old Faithful." Emerald laughed as the others stared at the scene in amazement and Ivo covered his mouth before asking, "Wait. What just happened?"

"Oh, magic is so useful," Emerald said, still laughing. She then clapped her hands, "Let's get going now. We have a couple of androids to find."

They were nearing Yellowstone Park as Aqualad gave out instructions. Radio silence except for telepathic communications and soon the other members of the Justice League would know about the visit to Ivo. Emerald was focused on keeping her ring green, thanks to the mix of different emotions going through her. Anticipation for the upcoming battle, excitement on maybe finally having Aya back, and fear. Fear of what they would find out about why Red Tornado betrayed them, or if he ever betrayed them at all.

She watched Superboy and Aqualad's conversation with concern. This was very troubling that Aqualad could make it seem like Red Tornado and Superboy were similar and it made her wonder about the Manhunters. Were they similar as well? She immediately dismissed the thought. The Guardians hadn't built the Manhunters to attack beings with emotions, they had decided that on their own.

The Bioship landed and the others activated their stealth modes while Zatanna opened the ramp out. Aqualad looked at her, "I recommend you stay behind."

"Is that an order," she asked.

Emerald chuckled as Aqualad replied, "No. You must do as you see fit."

"Good," Zatanna stated before chanting in Latin. A grey mist circled around her and went up her body, before it disappeared. Leaving her in an outfit similar to her father's. With that, they began to move out.

Emerald flew beside her cousin, eyes trained on the path ahead. They eventually came across a large field and when they moved into it, a wind began to blow, knocking the others back, though Emerald stayed where she was. Bootcamp had prepared her for a moment like this. They looked up to see Red Tornado hovering in the air. He extended his arms out and sent a twister at them. Several more appeared, surrounding them.

"Why, Tornado," Miss Martian called out. "Why are you doing this?" Emerald frowned as she noticed something that Red Tornado created in the dirt. Miss Martian looked at the others, _"Message received."_

"Who cares why," Superboy yelled. "Nail him!" Emerald shook her head before flying at the android, going along with the impromptu plan. She created a drill and flew at him. Red Tornado simply moved one of the twisters in her path while Aqualad yelled for Superboy to prepare something. Emerald was pulled into the vortex and sent flying backwards as Aqualad and Superboy performed maneuver seven, where one would interlock his fingers and give the other a boost into the air.

Emerald created a chain and as it went to hit the ground, a twister appeared. It grabbed the chain and sent her flying into the trees. She groaned where she lay and then closed her eyes as her teammates were defeated one by one. Then she heard a deep, metallic voice speak, "Quite the performance, brother, but we both know that's all it was." She thought back to the message Red Tornado had created: Play dead. "I have all your memories, Tornado, plus a next-gen processor. I know your next move before you do."

Emerald got up and looked at the other android, who brought up the slab of rock with the message on it. She flew over to where her teammates were getting up, examining the new android. Had T.O. Marrow created him too? The android scoffed, "Blowing a message into the sand?" He shattered the stone and sent the pieces at them.

Emerald grabbed a couple with her hand constructs and smashed them together. So far she was not liking this new bot. She ignored the mental conversation the others were having and thought. The android claimed that he had all of Tornado's memories, so what didn't Tornado know?

Wally ran up the rock that the android was on, prepared to punch him, only to be knocked back down with the words, "You stand no chance against me, humans."

"We're not humans," Superboy and Miss Martian shouted as they also went up to him.

"Apologies," he stated, making stone hands come out of the ground. "I suppose the properly inclusive term is," the hands smacked them together, "meatbags." He waved his arm and the ground split apart as it approached Aqualad and Artemis, dropping them into a pit. They came out just as the ground closed back up. Robin tossed a batarang which the robot caught, unfazed when it exploded. "Tornado's memory files and my superior processing speed allow me to anticipate your every move."

Zatanna spoke in Latin when it came to Emerald. Something grey wrapped around the robot's head and he clutched at it, prepared to tear it away, as Robin came over to the young wizard, "Tornado never knew my moves."

Emerald focused on what she was feeling, ignoring Robin as he made some embarrassing comment. Wally looked at her, "Hey, Em, you planning on joining in anytime soon?"

The robot shot lasers out of its eyes into the sky, and a volcano erupted, just as Emerald's suit changed. He began to throw molten rock at her teammates as she came up, it was time to think like someone else. She created a chain and threw it forward, he let it wrap around his arm, but she let the construct disappear. He began to focus on the others as she looked for a weak spot. One of the things Kilowog had taught her was that every enemy had one, even if it wasn't always visible.

He was able to control where the lava erupted, but he was staying away from it. She looked over as she noticed Red Tornado and the other two androids coming forward, "He isn't immune to the lava, if we knock him into it and are able to keep him down there long enough, he should melt."

The Reds nodded before moving into action. One that looked like a male attacked first. He brought water up from beneath the ground and knocked the volcano one into the magma. When the volcano guy forced some stone to bring him out, Red Tornado moved in, breaking right through and knocking him back into the lava. He came back out and began to move for the shore in a seemingly unhurried pace only to have the only female throw fireballs at him.

He grabbed her hands and began to wrestle with her in the lava, "Sister! Brothers! Stop!" The "brother" that controlled the water tackled him into the lava, where he and the sister held him there. Red Tornado then dropped in and began to slowly sink in. After a bit, Emerald swooped in and grabbed the android, flying him away from the lava, though he no longer had his legs. The ground began to shake as the volcano prepared for the last bit.

"Tornado, listen," Wally shouted. "We're on the verge of a stage three super volcano eruption. There's no turning back from that. We need to vent pressure, fast. Or the ash cloud will bring on a worldwide nuclear winter unless you divert it." Red Tornado nodded. The speedster turned to Robin, "Triangulate around the pressure locus."

"Right," Robin agreed, bringing up a holographic map. Three dots lit up. Artemis fired an arrow which split into three missiles. They landed in the specified areas before exploding. Red Tornado forced himself off of the ground and flew up. He filtered the cloud out into the atmosphere and the lava began to cool. Then Red Tornado landed, falling on what was left of his knees.

Back at the cave, Robin worked on getting Red Tornado's voice box fixed. Emerald was shifting from foot to foot, she needed to know that her secret would be kept. She smiled at the conversation, happy to have the android back, it reminded her of Aya. Which reminded her that she needed to talk to Razer, but first something important. She cleared her throat, "I hate to be the Debby-downer in the group, but can you keep what happened earlier a secret?" Everyone looked at her. "I don't want to be yelled at by the Guardians. They're a scary bunch."

"Yes, I will keep it a…secret," Red Tornado agreed.

"Phew, thanks," she smiled. "Alright let's get you fixed, then I've got a phone call to make."

"So, you never looked at any of the Manhunter temples," Emerald asked as she flew.

 ** _"It had never occurred to me that she might have kept a part of conscience in one,"_** Razer replied.

She shook her head, "Shame on you, Razer. Anyways, go and look at all the ones we visited or know about. I'll check out the couple on earth when I get a chance. Anyways, I've got to go, have to finish up a report."

He nodded and that ended the conversation. She sighed, how was she going to tell the team about the report she had to do for Lex Luthor?


	14. Chapter 14

Dear Diary,

Today's mission didn't go as planned and now I'm sitting here in the base…waiting for my turn with Black Canary. I have no idea where Superboy, the Sphere, or Wolf are, but I'm glad Moon Knight's here with me. If I had truly lost him, I don't know what I would've done.

Let me start over…

Emerald stood with the rest of her teammates and Red Tornado in the base in Mount Justice, watching from the cameras as Hal Jordan and John Stewart approached the alien looking ship. There was a whirring noise that could be heard over the camera feed as it powered up a weapon and the Green Lanterns threw up shields. They broke and Emerald stared in horror as her mentors disappeared, rings and all.

She felt the others look at her and Wally place a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she remained frozen. What could have destroyed them and their rings? They watched as Batman's ship got closer and the bottom opened as some of the other members of the Justice League flew out. The weapon powered up again and the League members separated. One laser became two as it tried to hit them, tried to take them out. All the former sidekicks could do was stare in shock and horror when the lasers finally got them all.

Emerald looked at Robin as the Batwing was also destroyed. How would Dick handle this? His family had died a couple years ago and now the man that had become his father? She couldn't say that she was doing any better, but still.

The feed cut out as Red Tornado turned to an incoming transmission from Zatara, "Tornado, did you-"

"Yes, Zatara, we saw," Red Tornado replied. "Celestial defenses have failed. Initiate all terrestrial measures."

"Affirmative, see you in the field," Zatara replied before cutting off communications.

Red Tornado turned, "I must join the League. We will protect the planet at all costs. But should we fail, the responsibility falls to you."

Aqualad looked at them, Emerald's eyes were still fixed on where they had been watching the camera feed, before speaking, "We stand ready."

As the android left, they returned to watching the camera. Wally and Erica were watching their aunt Iris reporting from Central City with worry in their eyes. They both took an instinctive step forward as a group of civilians in the background were…vaporized, and the ship responsible began to go toward her. Flash barely saved her from being killed, but two more ships were coming toward the cameraman when Zatara chanted something and he reappeared on a rooftop by Zatara with Flash setting Iris nearby.

Wally and Erica looked at each other, their home was being turned into a smoking ruin. The camera went over to where Zatara and Flash were moving to help civilians on another rooftop when there was a flash of light and they were gone. Iris reached out to the building, whispering something in denial. The screen panned out so they could see the news anchor, shouting at Iris to move when…the signal cut out.

They watched the feed change from city to city, showing more members of the League being killed. Then they got the call they'd been waiting for, yet hoping would never come, **_"Red Tornado to cave. I fear I am all that remains of the League."_**

Robin grabbed the communicator, "RT." They watched on the screen as he too disappeared. Emerald put a hand up to her mouth in disbelief, though for some odd reason she didn't feel any sense of grief.

"We are Earth's heroes now," Aqualad stated, causing Emerald looked at him.

"So what are we waiting for, a theme song," Superboy asked.

"Yes, because we want to be as epic as Darth Vader," Emerald rolled her eyes.

Aqualad shook his head, "A strategy. Earth's weapons are ineffective. And it has been made tragically clear a direct attack will not succeed."

"Not even a Green Lantern ring worked against them," Emerald added. "There has to be a way that we can hit, hit them hard, yet not have them be aware about it until it's too late."

Robin nodded, "Checking satellite imagery." He brought up a map of the world with red spots. "Here's where the aliens are now."

Superboy looked at the top, "This one get lost?"

They looked at where it was and Emerald frowned, "Why in the world is that at Superman's Fortress of Solitude?"

"Superman has a Fortress of Solitude," Superboy asked.

She nodded, "According to what the Guardians know, the Fortress of Solitude houses a lot of alien tech that Superman's collected over the years to keep out of the hands that would use it for evil. The power source must have drawn the attention of whatever these things are."

"At least enough to send a scout ship," Robin added. "Emerald, do you have any knowledge of what these things are?"

She shook her head, "But then again, I don't have all the knowledge of the Guardian's. I can try and contact them here soon and see what they know." Her eyes were drawn to Miss Martian and Superboy as she tried to comfort him about not knowing about the Fortress and how he'd never know anything else.

"We will target this lone ship," Aqualad stated. Emerald smacked Wally before he could say anything.

And off we went to the Fortress of Solitude, thinking that these aliens wouldn't be afraid to send off one ship on its own. Only if that had been the case.

They arrived at the Fortress of Solitude to see the one lone ship. Emerald hadn't changed her uniform, but remained out of sight. Something told her not to go White Lantern and she was trusting her instincts. Miss Martian flew up to it while in camo mode and destroyed one of the guns. Her voice rang out in their heads, _"Communications disabled."_ The thing crashed to the ground. _"Propulsion disabled."_

Artemis fired an arrow, covering one of the lasers. The other automatically began to fire randomly. _"And ET's are sealed inside."_

The thing continued to fire until Aqualad jumped out of the ice and landed on the ship. Wolf jumped as the laser aimed at the Atlantean, knocking it aside and began to swing around. Superboy came up to it and held the bottom, keeping it where it was. Robin and Kid Flash ran up, Robin perched on Wally's shoulders. Emerald and Moon Knight came out from behind a rock as Robin jumped onto the ship, _"Identifying weapon's structural stress points and links to the ship."_

Moon Knight went over to be beside Wolf as Emerald flew up and waited for Robin. He pointed at three places and she slice right through them with a sword construct. Superboy began pulling and Emerald looked over as Wolf looked back. She was surprised when Wolf knocked his over to the side and took the hit from the laser. Her eyes widened as she noticed another mini laser pointed at her. Before she had time to move it fired and she prepared herself for death.

She was surprised, however, when she landed in the snow instead. Looking up, she saw the last of Moon Knight disappear, "No!"

Superboy looked at her before getting back up and pulling once more, everyone now keeping an eye out for the lasers. He pulled it out and he and Miss Martian hopped onto the bioship. Emerald got up from the snow and looked at her ring. It hadn't flashed to warn her about any danger, so what had happened?

She looked up when three ships flew overhead. Everyone was shouting orders, but she knew what she had to do. Without hesitation, Emerald flew up, creating a large sword. Aqualad watched her fly up, _"Emerald, what are you doing? I thought we said a direct attack wouldn't work."_

Emerald ignored him, dodging as one ship began to fire at her. She glanced down for the briefest of seconds and saw Artemis shoot a few arrows. One ship blew up, the second crashed onto the ice, and the third continued chasing her. The second ship, turned its laser and Artemis disappeared. She heard Miss Martian call out and the others stared, dumbfounded. Emerald swerved away from another laser and sliced through the one that had killed her friend. She turned to the last one and just as it fired, she threw the construct.

As the ship exploded, Emerald disappeared. Leaving not even her ring.

I know, I know. If I died, how am I able to write in my diary? Well we discovered the answer later. Much later. After Artemis and I "died" everything went downhill for my teammates.

Aqualad ordered for them to get inside as Wally called out for his cousin. Wally, Robin, Aqualad, and Superboy all clenched their fists as they looked at where Emerald at disappeared at. Wally was the first to speak, "Their dead. Every single alien. If it's the last thing I do."

The others said nothing as they got into the bioship and left the Fortress of Solitude. Miss Martian couldn't keep herself from sobbing as she piloted the ship and Wally slammed his fists into the console. If anyone had examined each other, the other three boys weren't doing much better at controlling their own anger. Aqualad, though, looked at Wally, "There will be time to mourn later. Now we have a job to do…defend the Earth and ensure Artemis and Emerald's sacrifice was not in vain."

"You don't seem to get it," Wally mumbled, just loud enough to hear. "Erica was my _cousin._ My _family!_ Artemis was…"

"You're not the only one who cared about her-them," Superboy stated, turning his seat to look at Wally.

Wally glared at the clone and Miss Martian spoke to break their tense glares, "Back to the cave?"

"The Hall of Justice," Aqualad replied, taking his seat once more. "The human race must know that there are still heroes defending them. There is still hope."

This is what Miss Martian told me had happened afterwards and honestly, I have no idea what was going on with the boys at that time. Surely my death couldn't have hit them that hard, could it? I mean, besides Wally, we're all just friends and teammates, right?

On the way to the Hall, they spotted the military defending the White House from three ships and they weren't doing too well. Miss Martian guided the bioship over one of them and let Superboy drop out. He didn't hesitate to destroy the laser and began to punch the ship, sending it down. The bioship shot the other two ships with the newly attached cannon.

The ship Superboy was on slid to a halt in front of the soldiers, who stepped forward. He turned to look as the bioship landed, came out of camo mode, and the others exited. The soldiers began cheering as they stepped out. Two soldiers began to talk about Superboy, believing that he was Superman, causing him to turn to them, "I'm _not_ Superman."

"I don't know who you are, son," the man in charge began. "And right now, I don't care. You wear the 's' and you get the job done." Superboy repeated his statement. "Tell that to the enemy." He turned as Aqualad walked up to him and saluted, "General Wade Eiling, US Air Force."

"Aqualad, Justice League," the Atlantean replied. "We'll help you salvage as many of the aliens' cannons as possible, then we start taking back what is ours."

The soldiers were stationed outside of the Hall of Justice as the team and a handful of soldiers observed the ruins. Statues were decapitated, heads were laying on the ground in pieces. Robin looked around, "They're really gone."

Miss Martian flew past them to the statue of her uncle where she promptly began to sob again. Suddenly she flew back and began to lift the statue telepathically, revealing Martian Manhunter clutching his bald head. "Uncle J'onn!" She exclaimed, tossing the statue to the side and flying down to hug him.

Aqualad however ran in front of her and stopped her, _"M'Gann, check his mind. Make sure he is who he appears to be."_

 _"It's him,"_ she replied as he turned to look at them. _"He's real and he's alive."_

"But we saw you get disintegrated," Superboy said in confusion as she helped her uncle stand. "You and Superman. And everyone."

"Yes, I remember," Manhunter replied. "But…I cannot remember how I survived. Or how I arrived here." He looked down at his niece, as if she could help him.

She looked to the side before looking at him, "Maybe you were density shifting and the beam passed right through you."

"Scrambling your brains along the way," Robin jumped in. Superboy looked like he wasn't buying this.

Manhunter frowned, "My mind _is_ clouded." He put a hand on his forehead, "I feel certain I had something important to tell you."

Wally smacked his head, _"Hello, Wally, come on."_ Robin looked at him in confusion, but followed him out to the bioship. After a moment of examining the cannon, Wally spoke, _"I knew it! Look! It's giving off zetapenes, the same stuff that powers our zeta tubes. This thing doesn't disintegrate, it-it teleports. Artemis and Emerald are alive!"_

 _"Maybe, but-"_ Robin began only to interrupted by Wally.

 _"No maybe's. They're all alive!"_

Inside Miss Martian smiled as she looked up at her uncle, "That must have been what you wanted to tell us." Manhunter put a hand up to his head again, as if he felt that wasn't at all what he had wanted to say, but they all looked out the window as more of the alien ships arrived. A lot more than they had previously handled.

Aqualad looked out as Robin, Wally, and the soldiers ducked behind the trucks and tanks, _"We're on our way."_

 _"Negative,"_ Robin stated. _"We can't win this. Miss Martian, camo the bioship."_ Before they could a beam hit it and Manhunter and Miss Martian fell backwards, as if they'd been hit themselves. Superboy ran to her as Aqualad went to the only surviving member of the Justice League.

Miss Martian was crying, eyes staring blankly upwards, "That didn't feel like-"

 _"We're falling back,"_ Robin said as Superboy glared outside. First they had taken Emerald and now they'd hurt M'Gann? Everyone entered the Hall of Justice and looked at the elevator. The General thought they were trapped, but Aqualad opened the elevator and began to lead the way to the library.

As he explained his plan to have Manhunter grant them access to the zeta tubes so they could get to the cave he, Robin, and Wally all looked at the bookshelf. Remembering how the first time they'd gained access to this area, Emerald had flown right over to the books. Aqualad asked that the soldiers be sent through first, but was reprimanded that the young heroes were assets to the survival of the planet, they couldn't lose them.

Miss Martian was the first one through, followed by Robin. As Wally was about to walk through, the elevator door exploded and took out some of the soldiers. Aqualad tossed Wally through as Superboy went to help a pinned soldier. The Atlantean went to the front of the line as the soldiers were picked off one by one. Superboy helped a soldier through before jumping after him.

Aqualad shoved Manhunter through the zeta tubes before turning as he too disappeared.

"Our next mission is clear," Robin stated, taking over, "if we believe the aliens have been teleporting their victims-"

"We do," Wally stated angrily, as if insulted that Robin could believe that all their friends and mentors were dead.

"Then the only reasonable detention facility is here," Robin continued, bringing up a holographic map on his gauntlet. He pulled it up onto the screen. "Their mothership…atop what used to be Smallville. Ring any bells?" Everyone turned to Manhunter who had been sitting at a table.

He stood, "No. I'm sorry."

Robin went on, "Superboy, you'll create a distraction."

"No," Miss Martian stated firmly, causing everyone to look at her. "He's offering you as a sacrifice. Aqualad would never do that."

"You're right," Robin replied. "Aqualad would sacrifice himself. A mistake that just cost us our leader. Superboy is the most likely to be perceived as a threat, motivating the aliens to deploy."

Kid Flash nodded, "Worst case, he's teleported inside and we set him free along with Artemis and Emerald. And, uh, Aqualad and everyone."

Superboy turned to his girlfriend and reassured her that everything would be fine. Miss Martian still didn't look sure, but went along with it. She looked over to see a green couch with the book that Emerald had been reading earlier and almost sobbed. Why did it feel like they were all dead? Why didn't it feel like teleportation when the bioship had been hit? Why did it have to be Superboy?

All Miss Martian told me after that was that they'd broadcasted a message before attacking the mothership. She and Manhunter had gone in before Superboy had attacked. He had apparently used one of the ship's own cannons against it while Robin and Wally snuck in. Connor had been taken out as they began the search and that's when Manhunter remembered that there were no prisoners because the beams were killing them, leaving nothing behind.

Apparently my cousin had been freaking out, thinking that Artemis and I were still alive (I knew he had a crush on her), until Robin brought him back into focus. They then decided to destroy the mothership by blowing up the core. Miss Martian and Martian Manhunter were the only ones to escape that and then…Manhunter killed her. Well, not really, but after her death, we all…woke up.

Hal held Emerald's shoulders as she shot up, her Green Lantern uniform surrounding her as she searched for any sign of danger. It wasn't until Moon Knight began rubbing his head against her arm did she realize how much her head hurt. She groaned as she clutched it, _Who was using my head to play the bongos? Or did they put it through a hydraulic press?_ She looked up as she heard the others groaning and realized they were all alive. The team. The League. Everybody.

"You're all alive," Miss Martian exclaimed.

Batman ignored this, however, as he spoke to Manhunter, "What happened in there?"

"The exercise, it all went wrong," he replied, clutching his head.

"Exercise," Robin asked. Emerald frowned as she remembered. It had been a simulation, all of it. They had been psychically linked and thrown into a scenario where, no matter what they did, they would fail. At first, they had been consciously aware that nothing was real and then…something had happened.

Batman explained this to the team and then Manhunter came up to where she was confused, "But all that changed when Artemis and Emerald died." Her head snapped up, she was the cause? "Though consciously Miss Martian knew it was not real, her subconscious mind could not make that distinction. She forgot it was only an exercise and her subconscious took control making all of you forget too."

Emerald looked over at her friend who looked at them, "I-I'm…I'm so sorry."

"This isn't her fault," Superboy defended. "Why didn't you stop the exercise?"

"Connor, let them finish," Emerald stated quietly, drawing everyone's attention. They all had missed her.

Manhunter looked at her gratefully before looking at the clone, "We tried. But M'Gann had…a death grip on the scenario. Even Artemis and Emerald, who should have awakened upon their deaths were so convinced they had passed, they slipped into a coma. I realized I would have to wrest control from Miss Martian's subconscious from within. But upon entering the reality I was overwhelmed by your collective emotion. There was too much… noise to think clearly…to remember why I was there. The deaths of Aqualad and Superboy helped, but only when the mothership exploded and Robin and Kid Flash were silenced did my mind clear enough to remember my true purpose. To shock M'Gann out of the exercise before your comas became permanent."

"My apologies," he finished. "I had no idea a training exercise could be so dangerous…so damaging." Miss Martian had turned away from them all and was crying into her hand. Captain Marvel hugged her and she began to cry into his chest, while Superboy and the others watched her helplessly.

I didn't reveal it, but I had heard the last of Batman, Red Tornado, and Martian Manhunter's conversation. If it's true that M'Gann is more powerful than her uncle telepathically…there's no telling what she'll do.

After that, I made some food, just to try and take my mind off of things, but now it sits on the table, long cold, while I write this. I'm worried about my friends, but have no idea how to help them. How can I when I can't even begin to understand what they went through. After all, I was in a coma. I can tell that Aqualad, Robin, and maybe even Superboy wanted to talk to me about something, but none of us approached the subject. Perhaps, it's better that way.

Black Canary is signaling that it's my time for the counseling session. I think that if there's one thing that we all learned from this is that nothing is what it seems.

Emerald was curled up in the green chair, absentmindedly petting Moon Knight's head with one hand while with the other she played with the fraying strands of her bandages. Black Canary's eyes softened as she looked at the girl, "Erica, I know you want to talk."

"You're right," Erica replied, surprising Canary. "Everyone thinks that it began with the deaths of Artemis and me, but it really began with Artemis."

"How do you know," she asked.

Emerald looked up, "Because after Artemis died, it all hit me. Hal. John. Iris. Flash. Wolf. Moon Knight. Artemis. Their deaths all hit me and I felt…awful. I thought that before I hadn't cared for my mentor, my family, my friends, and their deaths showed that to me. But now that I remember that it was a simulation, I don't know how I should feel." She paused. "Canary, is it alright if I tell you something and you not tell the League, my team, my family, or Hal?"

"Yes," the League member replied.

"It's about something that Kent Nelson told me, before he died," Emerald stated.

Canary leaned back, "Go on."


	15. Chapter 15

It was Halloween day, so Robin and Aqualad weren't surprised when Wally walked into base, by himself. Everyone else was however. Superboy looked up, "Hey, where's Emerald?" The three boys began to laugh. "Did I say something funny?"

"It's Halloween and you're asking where Emerald is," Robin said, doubling over with laughter. The others shared a look. Robin turned on several news channels, "Just watch."

It showed one who was smiling as a picture of Central City, completely decorated for Halloween came up, "And once again the Halloween version of Santa Claus has decorated the cities of the world overnight."

"Is this supposed to mean something," Artemis asked.

Wally smiled, "She's the reason I believe Santa Claus could possibly be real."

"Wait," Superboy asked. "Are you saying Emerald is Halloween's Santa?"

"Yup," Wally nodded. "Halloween is her favorite time of the year and since she got her Green Lantern ring, Hal's had to take it away. Otherwise, she'd probably hurt anyone that she thought was a threat to the holiday."

"Is that supposed to be funny," Superboy asked.

Robin smirked, "No, it's just funny that you asked where-" He broke off as his communicator beeped, he answered, "Batman…She did what? ...Ugh, I'm on my way." He turned to them, "Emerald decorated the Batcave, gotta go."

Wally laughed as the Boy Wonder ran off only to have Aqualad go after him, "Hey, Kaldur, where are you going?"

"Emerald decorated Atlantis," he replied. "How she managed to get past the guards, I'll never know." Wally burst into another fit of laughter, that is until a blur passed them by and he was suddenly dressed as a clown.

"Emerald," he shouted resulting in her laughter. She was floating in the base, although she had somehow managed to make her uniform orange and black. Moon Knight instantly got up from where he was laying and happily approached her. "This isn't funny."

She smirked, "Yes, it is. You just don't realize it, unlike the others." He glanced over as the others chuckled and laughed at him. "Now come on, lighten up, it's Halloween!"

She flew around him as he scowled, "Why hasn't Green Lantern taken away your ring yet?"

"Because I've been too busy decorating the cities of the world, duh," she smirked. "Like I've said, it's HALLOWEEN!"

"Uh, speaking of Halloween," Megan interrupted before Wally could retort, "Conner and I have a school dance tonight, we'd really like it if you guys would join us."

Wally and Artemis automatically smiled and agreed, but Emerald frowned, "Sorry, but that's not in my plans for Halloween. I'm going to be giving candy to kids in a children's hospital in my old town. It was a tradition of mine even before I became a Lantern, can't disappoint the children, now can I?"

"Oh, don't worry about it," Megan smiled. "Perhaps we can join you next year?"

"Yeah, the kids would love it," Emerald grabbed her hands and spun her around, forcing the Martian into the air. "Oh, speaking of which I've got to go. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to get dressed up as Black Canary." Everyone blinked. "What? The kids requested it."

Wally sighed and trudged after her, "I better go and get in my costume too then. See you guys later tonight?"

"Yup," Artemis nodded, though she glanced at Superboy. Emerald smiled and waved at them, flying out the zeta tubes before Wally could even take a step. "Are you guys sure she doesn't have super speed?"

"Only on Halloween do we question," Wally replied.

"Erica, can you help me with this," Wally asked, holding up a patch of hair. "With my arm I'm having trouble getting it on."

"Sure, any other help you want," Erica replied, adjusting the blonde wig on her head as she walked toward him.

He rubbed the back of his neck, "Now that you mention it, basically everything."

"Admitting it is the first step to recovery," she replied before going to work. Since she loved everything to do with Halloween she watched tons of YouTube videos on how to do Halloween makeup and apply different items. "You still trying to become a couple with Megan?"

"Yeah, think the werewolf costume will impress her," he asked with a smile. "I'm kidding, of course it will."

She sighed, "Sometimes you are too cocky for your own good." Her ring flashed and she paused, "Not today. I've got to answer this, be right back." He nodded and she walked away, "What's up, Hal?"

 ** _"Batman's requesting your presence in the cave at around 8 tonight,"_** Hal said simply.

Emerald frowned, "But, the children's hospital, I promised I'd stay all night."

 ** _"Don't worry, I'll take care of it,"_** he replied.

She nodded and she ended the call. Sighing she turned back to Wally, "Sorry, cousin, I'm going to head to the hospital now. I have a meeting later on, so…"

"Don't worry about it, you got the tough parts out of the way," he waved her off and she smiled. "Have fun."

"Will do," she replied as she walked down the stairs. "See you later, enjoy the dance."

"Erica," a little girl in a wheelchair squealed as she quickly made her way down the hall with several other children following her. Erica smiled bending over to stop the girl in her tracks, "You came!"

"Didn't I make a promise to you guys," Erica replied, ruffling her hair. "Come on, Jordan, I don't have much time, I'm afraid my…work is having a meeting today, but don't worry, a friend is going to take my place. I think you're going to like him." She pulled several bags off of her shoulders, "Who wants to help me pass out some candy and be the Justice League?"

The kids cheered and she handed them each bags and they began to walk through the halls, stopping at every room where she would pull out different items to hand to the kids to make them superheroes for the day. Many of the employees smiled as they helped out with the different gifts and candy. Erica smiled at all the jubilant faces, her mother and her used to volunteer here and she missed being able to come over here and visit them.

She turned as her phone buzzed and she pulled it out, smiling at the message, "Alright, kids, our special guest has arrived." The children smiled as she walked over to the main door of the hospital and opened it. Hal, Black Canary, Green Arrow, Flash, and Superman all walked in as the children stared with amazed faces. "So, am I awesome or what?"

One of the boys, Tanner who was fighting lung cancer, ran up to her and hugged her, "You're the best!"

She smiled and hugged him, "Thank you, Tanner. I'm going to leave you guys in the capable hands of the Justice League and I promise to visit again soon, okay?"

"Okay," all the children stated in unison.

Black Canary smiled at her as she passed by, "Nice costume."

"Thanks," she nodded. "And thank you guys so much for this. They really needed this."

"It's no problem," Superman nodded, already having several children clinging to his legs and cape.

She smiled and then became very serious as she turned and whispered, "You need to talk to Conner. Whether you like it or not, he has become your responsibility. Suck it up and deal with it, Man of Steel."

He stared at her, wide-eyed, as she walked out of the hospital, waving good-bye to all of the children and the Justice League members.

"Computer, secure the room," Batman commanded as Emerald, Aqualad, Robin, Red Arrow, and Red Tornado stood with him. It replied promptly. "I'll cut to it. Do we believe there's a mole within the team?"

"I am convinced there is none," Aqualad replied, stepping forward. "When Sportsmaster claimed he had an inside source he was merely sowing dissent."

"His intel could easily have come by comparing notes with the other villains working for the Injustice League. And think about it…If anyone was working with those creepoids-"

"He or she would have betrayed us during our fight against them," Aqualad finished.

Roy frowned, "I'm not convinced. Sure, you three and Kid Flash are above suspicion, but I know Artemis isn't shooting straight. For starters, she's not Green Arrow's niece."

Aqualad seemed surprised as Robin leaned forward in his chair, "Well, yeah. In fact, she's related to-"

"Robin," Emerald interrupted, looking down at him. "Everyone is entitled to their secret identity. How would you feel if I just flouted your identity around willy-nilly? Besides, I'd trust Artemis with my life." She looked at Roy, "I know that her relations do make her suspicious, but she has proven herself as capable as anyone on this team and I have been keeping a close eye on her. So you don't have to worry."

He looked away as Batman took over, "I'm more concerned about Superboy. We still know very little about what Cadmus programmed into their weapon. Conner could be the mole and not even know it."

Red Tornado's head lowered as if he was thinking about it as Roy spoke, "And what about Miss Martian? She _is_ Manhunter's niece. But he told Black Canary he has a few _hundred_ nieces and nephews. And the first time he met M'Gann was five months ago when she stowed away on his last trip from Mars to Earth."

"This changes nothing," Aqualad stated and Emerald nodded in agreement. "I have fought side by side with these people. None are traitors."

Emerald looked at them, "And with firsthand experience unless a person has a strong mental standing, traitors will usually strike at the first opportunity. Superboy is too headstrong, Miss Martian wants to please those around her, and Artemis is a bit brash. She's more worried about if others will find out her heritage." She then pulled out a flash drive, "By the way, Batman, could you look over it. I want to make sure I didn't input any information that wasn't released to the public."

He looked at the flash drive as Robin spoke, "What's that for?"

"I asked to do a report on the Justice League by Lex Luthor," she replied casually as everyone stared at her. "I know that he's a bad guy, but I couldn't exactly say no with my new principal staring at me and that chick with the gun for an arm also there. Besides, it'd look good on my resume for…well, anywhere."

Batman nodded, "I'll look it over."

"Thank you," she nodded. "So, I'm going to go and find Artemis and Zatanna. Megan said that they didn't come to the dance with them. See you guys later."

Emerald frowned as she flew over Manhattan, following the trails of smoke in the air. The computer had told her that the two had zeta-tubed here and she could only assume that they were near the cause, or part of it. She eventually spotted a girl in white on a roof top waving at her. Her ring flashed as she became a Black Lantern as she landed. She frowned as she glanced at the item before speaking to the girl, "Hello there. Have you seen a girl in green with blonde hair and another girl dressed as a magician?"

"Secret," the girl replied. Emerald frowned before reaching forward to touch her hand, it was a cold as the grave.

"You're dead, aren't you," she asked. The girl blinked twice. "Can you show me to my friends?"

"Secret," the girl replied, waving her arm for the Lantern to follow. They began to run across the rooftops until they looked down at a magic store. The building shook as the smoke rise out of the bottom level. She looked down as Artemis and Zatanna entered the backyard before flying down.

"Emerald," Artemis exclaimed, running toward her. "I'm so glad to see you."

She smiled, "Me too, but I think I need a bit of an explanation of what's going on."

Zatanna kneeled on the ground, "Greta Hayes, beloved sister." Emerald turned to look at the grave as the girl who helped her get over here came out, completely white. The other two backed away. "This is your grave. This is your secret. This is you."

The girl looked down as Artemis spoke, "A ghost. An actual ghost."

Zatanna stood, "How did you die?" The girl created an image of a dagger.

"Harm's dagger," Artemis stated.

"Who's dagger," Emerald asked. The door behind them exploded and Emerald turned, her original green color returning. A teenage boy exited the building, holding a sword in one hand and a scabbard in the other. Her eyes widened, "The Sword of Beowulf!"

"They defile Harm's holy place," the boy snapped before seeing Emerald. "And they brought a friend. This it seems to have been taught by Green Lantern. Perhaps it will be more of a challenge than the other two."

Emerald looked at him in anger, "How can you call this a 'holy place'? You killed her. I'm guessing that she was your sister. How could you?!"

He merely smiled and Artemis felt disgusted, "You're proud of it? And you had the gall to write 'beloved.'"

"Not gall, truth," Harm stated. "She was the only thing Harm ever loved. That's why she had to go. Harm's heart had to be pure. Greta had to be cut out, excised like an infection. The its wouldn't understand." He then lunged forward with the sword. Artemis and Zatanna jumped out of the way while Emerald merely created her own sword and blocked. He seemed surprised, especially when she reached forward and grabbed the handle. "It thinks that the sword will respond to it. It is sadly mistaken. Only the pure of heart can wield the sword."

She smirked, "Well then," her garb became white, "it's a good thing I'm pure everything." She punched him in the stomach, causing him to release the sword which she twirled in her hand expertly. "Emerald thinks it's time for Harm's sister to come out to play."

Harm looked at the grave as Greta's ghost came up and he gasped. He then relaxed, looking at Zatanna, "Ah, it casts another illusion spell."

"Except I didn't speak," Zatanna replied. "Harm knows _it_ can't cast a spell without speaking."

Harm gasped once more as Greta approached him and Artemis spoke, "You asked how we found this place? Face it, Harm. Your secret's out."

He grabbed the sword back and held it out defensively, "No, Harm's heart is pure. Harm's not sorry. I'm not."

"Face the truth, Harm," Emerald spoke softly as Greta walked through the sword. "You are sorry. That's why you gave her a grave, that's why you were mad when Artemis and Zatanna found it. You just don't want to face what you have done and all that keeps you from doing so is your 'pure' heart. You're just as human as anybody else."

Greta reached for a symbol on his chest and pulled out a small ball of energy. He fell to the ground with a groan. Quickly getting back to his feet, the energy disappeared. He tried to use the sword to stab Greta, but all the sword did was direct itself towards the ground. When he tried to lift it the scabbard activated. After a bit of struggle, the sword was back in the scabbard and fell onto the ground. Harm breathed heavily, "I don't need the sword."

His dagger sliced through Greta and Artemis kicked his knife to the ground, "So unfocused. It can't fight us while fighting itself."

She elbowed him in the chest and Emerald, not seeing a point in prolonging the battle, came up and pinched a nerve in his neck. He fell to the ground, unconscious. Zatanna spoke a spell, using his coat to bind him as Emerald spoke, "There is no point in kicking an enemy while they are down, Artemis." She picked up the Sword of Beowulf and turned to Greta, "I'm sorry, kid. Power corrupts."

"Secret," she nodded.

"Be safe wherever you end up," Emerald patted her head, going back to being a Black Lantern. "I'm going to return the sword to a museum and then un-decorate the cities of the world. See you guys tomorrow." With that, she flew off.

Harm sat in his cell, thinking about the Green Lantern. She had been able to hold the Sword of Beowulf. She had been pure of heart. How annoying that she didn't even have to try. He sighed and laid down on the cot. Why couldn't he get her out of his head?


	16. Chapter 16

Emerald was playing with Moon Knight and Wolf as the others either helped unload the bioship or stood there watching. Both animals jumped when there was a loud crash from boxes falling onto the floor. She turned to see…only her team? Wait, hadn't Batman, Red Tornado, and Zatara been there a few seconds ago. Where'd they go?

The others seemed confused as well. Robin immediately leapt into action, "Checking local news reports." Emerald came over with the others. "There's no one there."

"What do you mean," Emerald asked, peering over at the holographic screen.

"There are no reporters, on any channel," Robin replied, flipping through every news channel he knew. "It's like the adults just disappeared."

Emerald immediately ran over to the zeta tubes, "I've gotta go. If the adults are missing, I've got to check up on the children's hospital. Call me if you need anything."

"Erica," Jordan exclaimed when the teenage girl burst into the hospital. "Thank goodness you're here. Caleb…" She began to sob.

"What's the matter, Jordan," Erica knelt down in front of her.

"He-he can't breathe and n-none of us know what to do," she stuttered. Erica ran down the hall, feet slamming against the ground with each step. She stopped by one of the nurse stations and grabbed an inhaler before bursting into the boy's room. He was laying on a bed with several of the other children surrounding him, hands twitching in the air as he struggled for air.

The others moved out of her way as she shook the inhaler and put it in his mouth. She pressed down on it and he relaxed a little, air once again residing in his lungs. He looked up at her, "Er-Erica?"

"I'm here, Caleb," she smiled at him, then turned to the others. "For as long as you need me."

"Where's my mom," Caleb asked, his voice a bit scratchy. "She was setting a bear down for me and then…she was gone."

"I don't know, but I have some friends who are going to find out, so don't you worry," she ruffled his brown hair. Caleb had bone cancer so he was staying at the hospital in between chemo treatments. "Now, come on. Let's play some games until they bring the adults back."

It had been a couple of hours when her phone rang. She'd been leading the kids in a game of _Clue_ and some older kids had showed up during that time, siblings of some of the sick children. Glancing at it, she put it up to her ear, "Hey, Wally."

 ** _"We need your help,"_** Wally said almost immediately. **_"There are two worlds, the other world is where the grown-ups have gone and we believe we know a way to get them to merge once more, but we need your help."_**

"On my way," she stated, standing up and hanging up. "Hey, Brian, you mind taking over. I need to help a friend with some of their siblings…and the neighbors."

"No problem," a boy that was about her age stood and walked over, writing something on a sheet of paper. "Call me if you need to bring them here, or if you come across an adult."

She nodded, "Sure thing. I'll be back as soon as I can. Bye guys."

"Stay safe," almost all the children said in unison.

Emerald wasn't too shocked about Captain Marvel actually being a young boy, after all, the Guardians knew his secret identity. She was surprised that the cause of all of this was in Roanoke Island. That just seemed ironic. Klarion was there with his cat and, despite their efforts to surprise the Lord of Chaos, he was able to stop Robin's batarangs and Artemis's arrows.

"That's the best you can do," he asked in a child-like tone while staring at the two. He sent a lightning bolt their way, causing both to jump and narrowly avoid being hit. Aqualad, Superboy, and Kid Flash all came charging at him, but he threw up a shield, sending them back, as if it was nothing. Zatanna tried to use her magic to break it, but it did nothing. "Huh. Baby magic."

He chanted something and she was sent flying through the air with a scream. Emerald came down, slashing a constructed chainsaw at the shield while Miss Martian threw rocks at it. Klarion breathed out a bolt of red magic at both. Miss Martian flew out of the way while Emerald threw up a shield, similar to his. His eyes widened for a second as his magic didn't even damage it, but then turned his attention to another arrow that was being shot at his familiar. It turned into a ball of yarn.

Emerald looked over as Klarion chuckled, "Show them what the familiar to a Lord of Chaos can do, Teekl."

"No," Emerald shouted, but it was too late. Klarion extended his hands and Teekl grew, becoming more like a sabretooth tiger than a house cat. The familiar smacked Superboy to the side and then went after him. She no longer cared. There was a flash of red that grabbed Klarion's attention as her uniform changed. She then brought a large axe down on the shield, causing sparks to fly.

"You don't even know the capabilities of that ring do you, kid," he asked from safe inside his bubble. She merely glared, raising it up to strike once more as the jewel he was protecting glowed. "So you teamed up with the grownups. Teamwork is so overrated." He moved his hand and the electricity hit Artemis, Robin, and Aqualad while another bolt went after Emerald, she held out a hand and a shield was formed, causing the lightning to go up into the sky instead.

Aqualad went down and Kid Flash was knocked back as well. Emerald raised the axe once more and Klarion sent more of his magic at her, this time sending her back. Miss Martian's voice then came into her head as she straightened herself out, _"Don't shout, Billy. I've linked you telepathically to the others."_

 _"That's so cool,"_ Billy said. _"I mean, it's the gem, at the center of the pentagram. Destroy it, and we win."_

Emerald recreated her chainsaw when she heard Aqualad followed by Wally. "Zatanna."

"Stop!"

She looked over, not paying attention to the path in front of her as Zatanna put on the Helmet of Fate. Klarion took advantage of this as he sent another bolt the Lantern's way, sending her back once more. She growled to herself, _Focus, Erica. We have to win this._

"Klarion," Nabu shouted. "This ends now."

The Lord of Chaos glared up at his nemesis and Emerald struck. Sparks flew as the chainsaw hit, cracks appearing in his shield. He merely glared at her before focusing on his opposite. She was sent back by a wave of red magic that broke her construct and the cracks healed. Her head began to ring for some reason and she clutched it. The others began to pound on Klarion's only defense and her ring glowed, sparking with energy.

She quickly rejoined the fight. For a moment, the helmet disappeared and Zatanna fell a little before the helmet reappeared. Klarion smirked, "Ha! There, see? When the world's divided the helmet split too. You're not all here, Nabu. And you're losing hold of that poor, soon-to-be-dead girl!" He chuckled, "She gave herself up for nothing."

"No, witch boy," Nabu stated. "Fate decrees her sacrifice will not be in vain." Emerald brought down a hammer, energy basically radiating off of it, and the shield fell seconds later while Klarion was shouting protests. Nabu threw a golden ankh at his opposite, basically putting him in chains.

He began to struggle and that's when Wally ran by and grabbed the jewel, "Doc, catch!"

Nabu grabbed the gem and began to chant a spell. Four men appeared in the circles around the pentagram Klarion had created and the Justice League also appeared. Klarion looked up at Emerald, who was still floating as a Red Lantern, "Boy, they sure don't make evil immortal sorcerers like they used to. Oh, well." He snapped his fingers and the ankh disappeared. He stood and brushed off one of his sleeves, "Fun while it lasted. Teekl!" The cat, who had Superboy pinned, ran up to him, shrinking as he went before jumping into his master's arms. He opened a portal, "See you later, armadillos. Unless I see you first."

He laughed as he jumped through it. Wally ran up and looked up at Doctor Fate, "Aren't you going to stop him?"

The Lord of Order glared at him, "To what end? Klarion is chaos personified. He cannot be contained."

Batman looked up at Emerald as she floated to the ground, turning back to her original green color as she went. Emerald looked up at Doctor Fate, eyes beneath her mask pleading. For her friend to be returned and for her secret to be kept. Zatara walked by her, eyes focused on the same person, "Fate!" Nabu didn't move. "Great Nabu, release my daughter."

"No." Everyone looked up, shocked. "Hear what the helmet wants in these hours. The world needs Doctor Fate and the girl's natural affinity for the mystic arts makes her the perfect candidate."

"You can't do that," Artemis shouted.

"She has her own life to live," Robin added.

Emerald looked down, the problem was that Nabu had every right. Zatanna had willingly put on the helmet, knowing that there was a possibility that she'd never take it off. It was up to Nabu now on whether he wanted to give up his possession of her body. Wally decided to fill in on her silence, "Kent would never allow you-"

"Kent Nelson did object, strenuously," Nabu interrupted, "so I released his spirit to the afterlife. He is gone." Wally looked horrified.

"Take me instead," Zatara offered. "My skills are already at their peak. My body is physically stronger, better able to withstand the strain of your power."

"All true," Nabu agreed, seeming to consider it. "But if I remove the helmet what guarantee have I that you will don it?"

Zatara didn't blink, "My word." And then he spoke an incantation.

Nabu didn't do anything for a moment before flying down. When he landed in front of the older magician he removed the helmet and Zatanna looked up at her father. Emerald looked away, unable to watch the brief happy moment before Zatara would put on the helmet. There was a flash of light, followed by another and Zatanna's father was gone. When Zatanna knelt on the ground, Emerald flew over and brought her into a hug. Her poor friend. She glanced over to see Batman giving her a look as if to say "we need to talk."

Standing up, she went to a different area to call Brian to check up on the kids. Hopefully everything would get better.


	17. Chapter 17

Erica stood nervously in her principal's office, report in hand. Lex Luthor was supposed to come today and look at what she'd found on the Justice League before offering her an internship and so far he was late. Why did it have to be Luthor that got her Taipei paper?

The door finally swung open and Luthor and his assistant with the gun arm walked in. He looked at Erica as she stood, her palms felt sweaty at the thought of becoming an intern at one of Luthor's new buildings, but she couldn't deny the fact that it could help her out in the future. The only thing that could be better is if she was asked to work at Wayne Tech or one of Bruce Wayne's places. Why couldn't she think of anything better than "buildings" or "places"? It was probably just her nervousness.

She quietly handed him the paper, preparing herself for his thoughts. Lex Luthor slowly sat down in a chair that was in front of Mr. Wither's desk, as if he had all the time in the world, before he began to read the report, taking in every detail that had been released to public. He held it up so that she couldn't see his facial expressions until he finally put down the twelve-page report. Setting it down on the desk, he looked up at Erica with the smile that he usually gave to news reporters, "Well, Ms. West, I must say that you certainly did your research."

"Thank you, Mr. Luthor," she began to toe the ground, it wasn't like she hadn't spent about two months working on that report. Oh wait, she did.

"I'd like to offer you that internship at Lexcorp," he stated. "We could certainly use someone with your talent in my company."

Before she could reply someone knocked on the door, causing everyone to look at it. Mr. Wither's frowned in confusion, but figured it was probably his secretary, "Enter."

The door swung open to reveal…Bruce Wayne. Erica's eyes widened, what was he doing here? The billionaire from Gotham looked at those in the room, "Am I interrupting something?"

"I-uh, what can I do for you, Mr. Wayne," Mr. Withers asked nervously, obviously surprised by his appearance.

"I came to speak with Ms.," he looked down at a small piece of paper in his hand, "Erica West."

Erica blinked in surprise, "Uh, what can I do for you?"

Bruce smiled, "My ward Dick gave a copy of your report on the Justice League. I was quite impressed."

The principal and Luthor both looked at her as if asking what was going on. Realizing that she was possibly getting out of an internship for Lex Luthor she decided to play along, "Wait, Dick Grayson is your ward?" Bruce nodded. "But I just sent it to him to look for any grammatical errors. I didn't think…"

"You know his ward, Ms. West," Luthor asked calmly, though one look in his eyes could tell you that he knew where this was headed.

Erica nodded, "I met him online and we slowly became friends."

"Well, Ms. West, I was thoroughly impressed by your report on the Justice League," Bruce continued, gaining her attention. "I'd like to offer you an internship at the new Wayne Tech here in Central City."

Both billionaires looked at her expectantly as she began to toe the ground once more, she didn't want to seem too eager to accept Bruce Wayne's offer. After a moment she spoke, "I'm sorry, Mr. Luthor, but I think an internship at Wayne Tech would help me decide on a major to go into and I'm afraid it might look a bit better on resumes." Luthor clenched his jaw. "I'm sorry."

"Very well," he said, his tone not as welcoming as it had been when they'd first spoke. "Come, Mercy, we have places to be." The two left and Erica couldn't help but sigh in relief. She didn't have to work for a villain.

Emerald flew around the base, adjusting different items as she hummed to the song blasting through her headphones. She had gotten up early to be here and get different items prepared. Today, November 11th, was Wally's birthday so she was trying to get a party ready for him. It had taken her most of the night to bake him a chocolate cake and get his presents wrapped. The only thing that was currently ruining her mood was the snow. She hated the snow and because of it she wasn't even going to try to head home for breakfast.

"How are you not deaf," Superboy asked, causing her to give a startled yelp and fly even higher into the air.

She gave him a half-hearted glare, "Are you trying to become Batman, Connor? Sneaking up on me like that, you should be ashamed."

"Not my fault that you weren't paying attention," he smirked as Wolf and Moon Knight came up to them. She rolled her eyes and went back to putting up balloons. "So, this what you have planned for your cousin?"

"Yup, though he already knows that it's supposed to be a 'surprise'," she rolled her eyes. "He wouldn't shut up about it."

"I thought that the point of a surprise was that it was a surprise," he replied. "Need any help?"

She smiled, "That would be great. It'll help get this done faster."

He nodded and began to bring the presents to the table in the main area and handed her up the banner that said "Happy Birthday" in big bold letters. After a moment, he spoke, "Hey, Emerald."

"Yeah."

There was silence for a moment. "Never mind, it's not important."

"You sure?"

"Yep."

Emerald nodded though she was confused, what did he want to talk about then decide not to? Oh well, she'd figure it out later. For now she'd have to figure out how to hang this banner without making it look weird. She bit the inside of her cheek in confusion as she looked up thinking quickly and running problems in her head. Nodding in satisfaction, she quickly flew around just as Miss Martian came out, "Oh, Megan, perfect. I need help getting this banner up, can you keep this right here?"

"Sure," Megan flew up and held up the banner.

"Perfect," she quickly flew around and put it up in two other places before coming back and putting green constructs to hold the banner up. "Thanks. Now, Connor, would you mind grabbing those balloons and handing them up to me, I have an even better idea." The clone did as asked and she quickly flew around to put the balloons around each construct. "Perfect. That'll do nicely. Thanks guys."

"No problem," Megan smiled.

"Now, there are just two more problems," Emerald hummed. Her phone dinged and she checked the text. "Wait, make that one: school's been canceled."

Connor frowned, "What's the problem?"

She turned toward them, "Your relationship." The two blinked in confusion. "Everyone except Wally is aware that you two are dating. Now, Megan, Wally really likes you. It'd be best if you tell him, soon. The longer you wait, the more you'll hurt him, okay? And if you two hurt Wally…"

Both winced as she became a Red Lantern as she trailed off, glaring at both. Connor sighed, "We get it, Emerald. You don't have to try and explode our heads."

"Look at you, catching up on your movies," Emerald smiled as she flew down to the ground. "Now, excuse me, I'm going to make some hot chocolate."

Emerald hummed happily as the hot chocolate warmed in the pot. Yes, she was making it from scratch as they'd run out of the powdered stuff when Robin and Artemis had joined them at the base along with Flash. All of them were freezing.

Suddenly, the lights went out and she looked around in confusion. A moment later, she could hear the computer, "Recognize: Kid Flash. B03. Zeta 2 network now offline due to extreme atmospheric conditions."

"Whoa. I just made it," Wally's voice could be heard. "Be a tragedy if I missed my own-"

The lights flicked on and she joined the others in yelling, "Surprise!"

Wally faked surprise, "What?! Oh, you guys! You shouldn't have!"

"Right, not like you've been hinting for days or anything," Robin said sarcastically.

Megan gestured at the table as she put a party hat on the birthday boy's head, "Emerald and I each made a cake."

"Awesome," he replied looking at the two cakes. He could tell which one was Emerald's as it was more professional looking and had a second layer. "What will you guys eat?"

"You better let the others have some of that, mister," Emerald playfully scolded as she came out with a large pot of hot chocolate. "Or else I'll go Red Lantern on you."

Wally frowned as he noticed her walking along with a slight skip in her step, "What's got you all happy? I thought you hated the snow."

She smiled, "Oh I do. Can't I enjoy being in the company of my friend's though?" He gave her a look. "Don't worry about it, now make a wish." She set down the pot and began to spoon it into some of the different mugs as Wally blew out the candles. The news about her internship could wait until after Wally's birthday. She ignored his conversation with Megan as she created a small platter and began to walk around, handing out cups of hot chocolate with Moon Knight right beside her.

At one point she noticed Artemis walk toward him and joined Zatanna and Robin, "Is she going to tell him?"

"Yup," Robin replied. She looked over and noticed her cousin's crestfallen face. Sighing, she sent the cups of hot cocoa to the counter. "What are you doing?"

"I have to go hit some people upside the head," she replied. "I told Megan and Connor to tell him and now I have a threat to keep."

Before she could take a step, however, there was a beep and Batman's voice came over the intercom, **_"Attention, team. Suit up. Polar stealth. Mission briefing in five."_**

Guess beating up Miss Martian and Superboy would have to wait.

"Where's Flash," Wally asked as they stood in front of the big holographic screen. Emerald stood beside him as a White Lantern, blending in among the white suits of the others.

 ** _"Flash and Red Tornado already have their assignments,"_** Batman replied. **_"A massive ice storm has paralyzed North America from coast to coast. Satellite imagery has detected 5 flying… ice fortresses, source unknown, which seem to be responsible and must be stopped."_**

"Can't the Watchtower blow them out of the sky or something," Wally asked.

Emerald rolled her eyes as Zatanna asked Robin what Wally was talking about, "You realize that's top secret right? If the Justice League did that then the entire planet would know and would distrust the Justice League. Besides, it's not even weaponized." Everyone looked at her. "What? I fly by it all the time on my way to Oa. You take notice if there's a giant cannon on it or something."

 ** _"With both older Green Lanterns off world, I need all hands on deck,"_** Batman continued.

"Does that mean what I think it means," Robin asked. "The League and the team fighting side by side?"

Wally's eyes widened in excitement, "Whoa! Really?"

 ** _"Superboy, use the Supercycle to rendezvous with the Batplane at Ice Fortress I, you'll drop off Robin and Aqualad, then continue on with Wolf to meet up with Black Canary and Red Tornado at Ice Fortress II. Emerald, you and Moon Knight will head to Ice Fortress II. Miss Martian, Artemis, and Zatanna, take the bioship and rendezvous with Green Arrow and Martian Manhunter at Ice Fortress III. Other Leaguers will deal with Fortresses IV and V. Sending all coordinates now."_**

"Uh, Batman, I think you skipped-" Wally began while walking forward.

 ** _"Kid Flash,"_** the Dark Knight interrupted, **_"a young girl in Seattle is in desperate need of a heart transplant. With all conventional air traffic grounded by the storm, you'll need to pick up the donor heart in Boston and run it 3,000 miles across country."_**

Emerald saw something awkward coming and decided to back out first, "I'm going to go find Moon Knight and put his wings on him." Walking away quickly she could sense Wally's disappointment. She didn't see why though, helping someone out was the reason they'd become superheroes. Wasn't it?

Emerald walked back into the base with Moon Knight, Superboy, and Wolf. Superboy was currently nursing a small wound from one of the cannons that Emerald "couldn't" stop in time. In truth she decided that thanks to the Ice Fortress she didn't have to hit him herself. The fun part was when she apologized. She said she couldn't catch it in time just like he couldn't tell Wally about him and Megan before Artemis did. Now she just had to wait for Megan so she could punch her and then she'd be happy knowing that she'd fulfilled her threat.

Speaking of Miss Martian, she and the other two girls on the team entered the base. Emerald flew over and, before anyone could react, smacked the Martian on the back of the head. Miss Martian cradled her head, "What was that for?"

"Remember what we talked about this morning," Emerald smiled innocently as Moon Knight joined her. "Instead of you or Connor telling Wally, Artemis did and I didn't want to seem like I was just making empty threats. Now be happy it was a simple slap, I was planning on punching you. Through a wall. Or three." She became a Red Lantern as she spoke before quickly becoming a Green Lantern. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some hot cocoa I need to warm up."

With that she and Moon Knight walked away. Superboy joined the girls, "Remind me to never make Emerald mad again."

"Remind me to never make her mad. Period," Zatanna commented as they walked further into the base. Oh, they didn't know the half of it.


	18. Chapter 18

Emerald sat on the couch between Aqualad and Robin watching Looney Tunes. The old ones. She smiled as Yosemite Sam opened a door and was hit by a cannon. Superboy, who had walked up behind them, frowned, "Why are you watching this?"

"Because it's funny," Emerald replied. "Senseless violence where no one really gets hurt. Man, what I wouldn't give to live in a cartoon." All three boys looked at her as if to ask if she was serious. She merely smiled before turning to her phone as it dinged. Her smile turned into a frown of confusion as she looked at the text.

"What's the matter, Em," Robin asked. "No longer wanting to be in a cartoon?"

She shook her head, "Brian, this guy I met during the whole two worlds fiasco, has asked me out on a…a date."

All of the boys looked at her in surprise. Aqualad was the first one to speak, "How did you meet him?"

"He's the older brother of Jordan, a girl at the children's hospital," Emerald hadn't looked away from her phone. "Her spine is being compressed so she can't walk and has to have surgery. I didn't think he would try and contact me after that night."

"Who wouldn't contact you," Wally asked as he, Artemis, Miss Martian, and Zatanna entered the room.

She repeated what she had just told the other three and Miss Martian squealed, hugging her, "You _have_ to say yes, this boy obviously likes you."

"But I don't really know him," Emerald frowned. "He isn't usually in the hospital when I go and visit Jordan and the others, I only met him on that one day and we haven't talked since then." Megan gave her a look and she sighed, texting him back, "Looks like I have a date to get ready for."

She stood and left using the Zeta tubes. After a little bit, Robin looked at Megan, "Why did you make her say yes?"

"Because she needs to find someone she really likes and it's obvious you and Aqualad aren't going to confess to her," Megan rolled her eyes. Both boys shifted uncomfortably while Artemis and Zatanna laughed a little and Wally looked at them in surprise. "I think that she could use someone who's normal in her life, who isn't a hero who she has to worry about constantly if she has to leave for a mission. She could use a little normal in her life."

"If Emerald was here she'd be insulted to hear that word," Wally muttered before raising his voice. "Why shouldn't she date a hero? At least they'd understand what it's like to put your life on the line every day. Why can't she date someone like…Red Arrow?"

"You are actually supporting that," someone asked, causing everyone but Superboy to jump in surprise. They turned to see, speak of the devil, Red Arrow there folding his arms over his chest as he raised an eyebrow, "Because last I checked you didn't like the thought of anyone dating Emerald."

Wally began to look anywhere, but the archer, "I-uh, when did you get here?"

Superboy glared at the archer, "After Emerald left."

"What started this entire conversation," Roy asked looking at the team.

Zatanna tilted her head, confused on why Artemis was glaring at him, "Emerald was asked out on a date by a boy she met back in November and Miss Martian encouraged her to say yes."

"I see," Roy began slowly. "How well does she know this boy?"

"Not well," Aqualad replied. "Apparently they haven't talked since their first meeting."

Roy nodded and then turned and began to leave. The others looked at each other before following him.

Erica walked along the streets of her old hometown. Her aunt had helped her get dressed up a bit. She wore a cream blouse with a heavy grey coat, slacks and knee high boots. Seriously, why did she need to do this? She didn't even know why she needed to dress up, she didn't even know the guy that well.

As she approached the children's hospital she felt nervous. What was she supposed to do on this date? Flirt? How do you even do that with a guy you only knew through his little sister?

She saw Brian in front of the hospital, dressed in a nice shirt and jeans. Great, she was hoping that he would bail on her, she'd be okay with that. She moved toward him, "Uh, hey, Brian."

"Hey, Erica," he smiled. "There's a nice café down the street, if that's okay?"

"Uh, sure," she smiled back. Actually, she really wanted to go to Taco Bell. She could really use a gordita and taco right about now. Maybe a Mexican pizza. Man, everything from Taco Bell was sounding good right now. Or maybe she could do with some Chinese.

They walked down the streets and Erica wasn't sure what to do. Most people were usually annoyed by her just because she either wouldn't stop talking or would wonder why they couldn't figure things out as quickly as she could. That's why at Wayne Tech she was working by herself. She had already annoyed all of her coworkers in the few days she'd been there.

When they reached the café Brian politely held the door open for her. At least he was a gentleman. They walked up to the cashier, a young man that seemed to be their age. He smiled at them and winked at Erica, "What can I get you two?"

"A cup of coffee for me," Brian said.

"A cup of hot chocolate," she replied. "White hot chocolate if you would please."

The cashier nodded, "Seven dollars and fifty-seven cents." Erica was about to pull out her wallet, but Brian stopped her and paid for the refreshments. "We'll have them out to you in a few."

Erica nodded in gratitude as they walked to an empty table. Brian sat down across from her, "You know, I thought you'd order some coffee too."

"Can't," she shrugged. "I'm allergic to the bean itself so I can't even have anything coffee flavored."

"Oh," he replied. "So, uh, tell me about yourself."

She tilted her head, "What do you want to know?"

"Favorite color, favorite food, where you work," he listed off. "Anything really."

She nodded, not hearing the bell ring as people entered the café, "Well, I really like silver, I love anything Mexican or Chinese, and I currently have an internship at Wayne Tech."

"What," someone said behind her and they jumped. Erica turned to see…her cousin, her teammates, and Roy all in their civilian clothes. Wally had been the one to speak. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Better question, what are you guys doing here," she asked, glaring at them.

"You know these guys, Erica," Brian asked.

She sighed and began to gesture at them, "Brian, this is my cousin Wally and our friends: Megan, Connor, Artemis, Zatanna, Robin, Roy, and Kevin." Aqualad raised an eyebrow at the name he'd been given. "Guys, this is Brian. Now I'm going to ask you one more time, what are you guys doing here?"

"What," Robin asked, smirking. "We can't come to a café and order something warm to drink?"

She glared at them again when the cashier came and set down their drinks, winking as he handed Emerald the receipt with his number on the back. Rolling her eyes when he was gone, she made a shooing motion to her teammates and turned back to Brian, "So, why don't you tell me about yourself?"

Brian nervously shifted as the team hadn't moved and most of the males were glaring at him. Artemis, Megan, and Zatanna sighed before grabbing the boys and dragging them away. "Uh, no offense, but your friends are a little…strange."

"Well, calling them normal would be an insult," she smiled at him, helping to relieve the tension that had been in him since the others had shown up.

"Do they often crash your dates," he asked with a smile.

"No," her smile faltered slightly, though he couldn't tell. "Would you mind if we walked around outside for a bit?"

He stood up quickly, "N-not at all."

She smiled once more and stood. They grabbed their drinks and went outside. There was a comfortable silence between them as they walked beneath the street lamps to a nearby park, sipping on their warm drinks to fight off the cold breeze that circled them. They sat at a park bench and looked up at the faint stars that were visible.

Brian suddenly sighed and turned to Erica, "I have to tell you something." She tilted her head as she looked at him. "I…I wasn't the one who asked you out on a date. I was visiting Jordan and she stole my phone and texted you. She seems to think that we'd be good for each other."

Erica laughed, "Sounds like Jordan."

"Yeah," he muttered. "But you're not offended?"

"Nope," she smiled. "I've learned not to take things personally. Besides, I think it was sweet of her."

He smiled, "So, tell me something. How did you do it? When Jordan first lost her legs she was the grumpiest person in the world and then you came along and she was smiling and laughing again. How did you do it?"

"It wasn't easy," she stated, looking back at the sky. "It took me a week to even get her to talk to me without telling me to shut up or go away. I started to bring some different shows that I thought she might like, different games, and when all of that failed, I introduced her to someone. He had been in a car accident when he was a baby and had never been able to walk because of it. Multiple surgeries had been performed on him, in hopes that it would help, and nothing worked until one day. Almost two months after his last surgery he had felt pain in his legs for the first time and soon after they were teaching him how to walk for the first time.

"I had him tell Jordan his story and she just lit up at the thought that she could eventually walk again. They bonded over it and he began to show her all the highlights to being in a wheelchair and she was smiling and laughing as he pushed her through the halls of the hospital. It's was one of the moments I cherish the most."

Brian smiled, "Thank you, then, for introducing them. I thought that I'd never see her smile again."

"That's why I go there," she stated. "To help them make the most out of every day and bring back the smiles that they've lost. I cherish every moment I spend with them."

Brian looked up at the sky with her as they fell back into a comfortable silence.

The team and Red Arrow reentered the base after searching for Emerald and her date for a few hours without success, only to find her there, glaring at them while she had her arms crossed over her chest. She was in her Green Lantern uniform and had Wolf and Moon Knight on either side of her. Her glare seemed to increase as the team and Red Arrow froze, "Mind explaining what you were doing crashing my date?"

"We were just…meeting Brian," Wally replied slowly. He had never seen her this mad before and it was quite scary.

"Yeah, well, thanks for making him uncomfortable," she snapped. "What was with you guys anyways?! I thought you wanted to me to go on this date! The date, by the way, that was set up by his little sister!"

"Whoever said I wanted you to go out on a date," Wally asked, immediately becoming protective over her.

"Oh, who said that you got to decide," she shouted, her uniform becoming white. "You realize that was the _first_ time someone asked me out, right?!" Everyone looked at her in surprise. "You know what, I can't even look at you guys right now. Come on, Moon Knight."

The two walked out to the hanger and out into the forest. The team looked at each other as Roy followed the girl. He quickly made it out to the forest and began to look around, "Em?"

"I don't want to talk to you right now, Roy," she shouted back from wherever she was.

He sighed and began to move through the trees, following the clear outline of Moon Knight's paw prints, "I need to tell you something." Silence. "It was my idea."

"What?"

"It was my idea that we find you while you were on your date."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because…you're my friend and I didn't know who had asked you out and I was told you didn't really know whoever asked you out. I just wanted to make sure that they weren't going to hurt you."

Silence for a moment. "You paused before your explanation. You were going to say something else, weren't you?"

Roy moved a branch and he saw Emerald sitting with Moon Knight in the middle of a clearing. "Maybe. Why didn't you tell Wally that you had an internship at Wayne Tech?"

She shrugged as he sat down, "Because it wasn't that big of a deal and it was just one more thing for me to do. I have my job as a Green Lantern, the team, my classes, my college classes, and now an internship. Knowing Wally, he'd be worried that it'd be too much for me to handle all at once, not to mention I've been thinking about getting a job as well."

He sat down beside her, "Look, he's your cousin and the relationship you guys have is far more like siblings than anything else. It's natural he'd be worried about you, it's what you guys do for each other." She started to scratch in between Moon Knight's ears. "Was that really the first time you were asked out?"

She nodded, "Everyone else thinks I'm annoying or a know-it-all. Guess that's just the burden of being me." He didn't know what to say. "So, what were you going to say before you decided to say that you were worried about me?"

"It's not important," he said after a moment. Truthfully, he was going to confess, but it didn't seem appropriate at the moment. Also he had this nagging feeling in the back of his mind saying that she'd be hurt later if he did so. He didn't know how or why, but he decided to listen to it. He didn't want to hurt her; she was too important to him. If only she knew how important.

Lex Luthor sat in his office, looking over the file that had been gathered on Erica West and couldn't help the wave of anger that came over him. She was intelligent, _very_ intelligent. As much as he hated to admit it, she was probably smarter than him. He had been planning on hiring her as an intern and then eventually recruit her to join the Light, but now he couldn't. Because she went to Bruce Wayne's company instead.

He growled before tossing the folder onto his desk and stood to walk over to one of the windows that overlooked Metropolis. One day, Superman and the rest of the Justice League would be under his command and he would own this city. One day coming soon.


	19. Chapter 19

There were two sides to Erica West. Outside of school she was the girl who could kick butt and take names and wouldn't take crap from anyone. Inside of school, however was a different story: she was shy, quiet, could be found with her nose in a book at almost any time in the day, and she would let herself be shoved around. She didn't know why she was so different when in a place of learning, but she was and she hated it.

Three cheerleaders shoved her into the door of her locker and she gritted her teeth. All three were tall blondes that were as skinny as toothpicks. Despite this she did nothing to stop their taunts, kicks, or punches. Courtney, the ringleader of the trio, smirked as Erica looked down, "Oh, look girls, the bookworm won't fight back still. She must be just as weak and pathetic as she looks."

Her friends gave off high-pitched giggles that grated on Erica's nerves. Quite a few people walked by, but they only gave her pitying glances instead of help. Ironic how, in a world of heroes, no one was brave enough to stand up to a couple of bullies. Ironic how a hero wouldn't even stand up to her own bullies.

"Hey," a new voice broke in, causing the three girls to stop and snap their heads in that direction as footsteps came rapidly from the opposite direction. "Why don't you leave her alone? Or are you that low?"

Courtney scoffed and looked at the speaker who Erica hadn't even looked at, instead she turned her head to see her cousin running toward her, "Are you really going to help this loser, Justin?"

Erica's head snapped over to the speaker at his name, surprised to find that it was indeed the school's star quarterback coming to her aid. He nodded, giving Erica a kind smile before turning to her tormentors, "She's not the loser here. At the moment the only losers I see are the three who would pick on another girl just because she likes to read. Now, get out of here before I tell a teacher."

Courtney scowled before turning with her friends to leave, but not before shoving Erica into her locker once more. Wally came up and put a hand on Erica's shoulder as she straightened, "Are you okay?"

She nodded before looking at the quarterback who was coming closer, "Thank you, Justin, for the help, but you didn't have to get involved."

"I didn't have to do anything," he smirked, stopping a few feet away. "I chose to." Erica wanted to smile, knowing that outside of school she would probably say something similar. Justin was tall and muscular with black hair and bright green eyes, he was the crush of many girls, and was a senior just like her. Erica nodded at him in gratitude before turning to her locker to get her books out of it and after a moment of silence between the three of them Justin cleared his throat, "I, uh, should probably get to class. See you later, Erica."

She nodded at his retreating figure and when he was a good distance away Wally sighed, "You can't keep doing this, Em." She slowly closed her locker. "You have to stand up for yourself."

"You don't think I don't know that," she asked quietly. He looked at her. "I know that in school I'm weak and pathetic, but for some reason I can't help it and I hate it. I hate having to take it all and not having the strength to do something about it. So believe me, I know I have to stand up for myself, but what does it matter? In a few months I'll be graduating and then I won't have to deal with their stupidity anymore."

"Well that's one way to look at it," he muttered.

She closed her locker, "I have to go to class. See you later, Wally."

"See you," he replied as she walked off.

Erica sighed as she made her way to her last class of the day, sociology. She had already taken a psychology class in one of her previous years so it made sense to take a class that sort of fit it. Also she got college credit so why not? She entered the classroom and sat down at her usual desk, ignoring the glares Courtney threw at her back. Oh yeah, the worst part of this class was that she had to share it with one of her bullies. Perfect, right?

She looked down at the book of crossword puzzles which she had started sometime this morning after deciding to break away from her usual routine. It was just another way to keep her mind active and in the present. The bell rang as she flipped to her current puzzle, number 182 out of 450, and the teacher entered the classroom. Mr. Wickers was one of her favorites as he allowed her to do things to keep busy as long as she didn't disturb the others in class and would even let her work ahead to certain points so that she could have more time to focus on her internship and other classes.

"Alright class, settle down," Mr. Wickers stated as he went up to the board and began to write on it. "Today we're going to be doing a group project on the comparison of families." Erica froze as her classmates began to chat excitedly. She hated group projects as she almost always ended up doing all the work of her entire group. "You'll be working in groups of three and before you get too excited I've already picked out your groups." The class groaned and she looked up at her teacher already dreading what was about to take place. "You and your partners will do a comparison of your families: where they live, who the guardians are, if there's one parent or two, any siblings, etc. This will be due by Monday so I suggest that you guys meet over the weekend to work. Here are your groups and I'll be passing out the requirement sheet here soon, you have the rest of the class to work so get started."

Erica mentally groaned when he moved to the side and she spotted her name. She was working with Justin, which wasn't bad and she'd honestly forgotten that they had a class together, but she was also working with Courtney. Someone tapped her shoulder and she looked up to see a smiling Justin, though his smile faded when Courtney came over to join them. Erica turned as they took seats behind her, Courtney scooted her desk closer to Justin's and gave Erica a glare, who ignored it as she smiled as politely as she could, "So I guess we're a group now?"

"Looks like it," Justin smiled as the cheerleader huffed. Mr. Wickers handed him the sheet with all their requirements knowing that Erica would probably hand it to him if she had received it. She rarely ever spoke up in class except to answer questions. "Okay, it looks like we'll need to create a PowerPoint presentation of our group's families. Either of you have a laptop that we can use for that?"

Courtney smiled at him, "Sure, you and I can use mine while the bookworm uses her own, if she has one that is."

"It's a group project," Erica said softly earning a glare from the other girl. "It can't be just two people's on one person's laptop it has to be all three. I have a laptop that we can use, it's for school and work purposes only."

"That'd be perfect," he smiled earning her a glare that was filled with hate from Courtney. He looked back down as Erica brought her crossword puzzle around so she could work on it. "Alright, there seems to be a lot of things that he wants us to cover in our presentation, so I think it'd be best if we start this up tomorrow. I know of a great café on 19th street that we could work at, Paradiso Coffee and Teas."

Erica looked up in surprise at the mention of her favorite café, she knew all of the employees by name and would often go to them for advice on anything, or they'd come to her as was the usual case. It was just a coincidence that that was the place chosen, right?

"Hmm, alright that sounds good to me," Courtney shifted her gaze to manicured nails. "I have cheerleading practice early at nine though and it won't get out until around eleven or so."

"Alright, how about we meet there around noon then," he asked. "How does that sound, Erica?"

"That's fine," she stated with a nod, looking back down at her puzzle while quickly filling in the spaces. It'd give her time to check on Wolf and Moon Knight tomorrow and also say hello to the others, but it'd suck if there was a mission because that'd mean she'd be unable to go. Oh well, at least she'd finally be able to stand up to her bully for herself instead of having someone doing it for her. It'd be nice to wipe that smirk off of her face.

Justin smiled, "Then it's decided, we should probably exchange numbers in case something comes up." He quickly wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to Erica before reluctantly handing a similar piece to Courtney. Their eyes met, "I'd appreciate it if after this you'd lose my number."

Erica chuckled a little as she brought out her phone and quickly added the quarterback to her contacts. She texted him as well so that he'd have her number in case of anything. As he pulled out his phone to look at the text while Courtney pulled out her own phone his eyes lit up as if he was a child who finally got that toy they'd wanted for so long on Christmas morning. Erica lifted a brow in confusion, slightly feeling like Peter Pan from _Once Upon a Time_ as she did so, at that. What could he be so happy about? Courtney apparently understood though for she threw another glare at Erica who was just now even more confused than before.

She sighed as she focused on her crossword puzzle, annoyed by how many times she'd been taken away from it in the past few minutes and penciled in the last word before flipping to the next one. Perhaps one day she'd become better at reading a person's emotions, but until then she'd be content remaining ignorant.

Wally met her outside the school and greeted her before filling her in on what had happened during his classes as they walked home: science and history tests coming up, teachers pressuring him to study for the finals that were only a couple weeks away, etc. He then turned to her and asked how her day went. She told him everything, as was customary among them, and became more like her true self as she left the dreaded building behind. How everything was going a bit too slow for her, how one of Courtney's friends had treated her during gym only to get her butt handed to her in dodgeball, and finally about the group project.

He whistled as she told him who her partners were, "Man, you've got your bully and your savior in the same group? That's going to cause some problems."

"Tell me about it, I swear if looks could kill I'd be dead a hundred times over from that class alone with her," Erica groaned but smiled as she practically skipped along the sidewalk. "But the best part is that at noon tomorrow we're meeting at a café to work on the project."

"How is that a good thing?"

"Because then I can reveal my true self and show Courtney that I'm not someone that she can shove around all the time."

"Only at school."

"Nope, because once she sees how I truly act then she and her squad won't be bothering me ever again. I can enjoy the rest of my senior year without having to worry about being shoved into a locker by them, although my back still hurts from earlier today," she rubbed the sore part without letting her smile falter, far too happy that she could finally solve her bully problem without anyone else.

Wally smiled, "I'm happy for you, coz." She beamed up at him as she was slightly shorter, but not by much. "Come on, I think mom's making breakfast burritos for dinner tonight."

"Race you there," she shouted as she burst into a sprint.

"Hey," Wally exclaimed as he began chasing after her without using his super speed, a wide smile still on his face.

"Last one there has to do the dishes!"

"No fair, I did them last time!"

"Exactly!"

Yup, they were just like siblings.

Erica smiled as she played with Moon Knight and Wolf the following morning. It was almost ten o'clock and Miss Martian, Kid Flash, Robin, and Superboy had been summoned for a mission. She was supposed to go too, but when she told Batman about her school project he had removed her from it. It kind of sucked, but she had to put school first. But what was even worst was that they were going to investigate the President of Qurac's sudden willingness to merge his country with the neighboring country of Bialya.

She'd been studying the problem since she'd seen the first news report about it, keeping up on global news being one of her tasks for one of her college classes. The problem was kind of obvious though she had no evidence to support it. President Harjavti was being mind-controlled. The way that he spoke without any emotion in his voice during one of his speeches, how he would stare blankly ahead, and the sudden change in his position about Qurac and Bialya being one country in the past all led her to believe that someone was mind-controlling him, but she didn't know how. Queen Bee couldn't control people over long distances and as far as Erica knew the woman didn't have any contacts with any of the other mind-controllers outside of Psimon, but she hadn't seen any proof of him being there.

She waved as the team made their way to the hanger, "Good luck guys. Let me know if you find any evidence about him being under someone else's influence."

Robin chuckled, "Will do, Em. Have fun with your school project."

"Will do," she replied with a nod. Wally gave her a nervous glance and she knew exactly why he did but was grateful that he didn't tell the others, she didn't need them trying to get involved with her problems. She looked up at Batman and smiled at him before standing. "I should get home and get ready for the meeting. Oh, and I'll have that one thing to you by Monday."

He nodded as she winked at him and waved at the two animals before leaving using the zeta tubes. When she exited into the familiar alleyway that was close to her home she began to skip to her residence, ready to grab her laptop and crossword puzzles before heading to the café. It wouldn't hurt to be early and she could enjoy a nice cup of white hot chocolate without being disturbed.

Aunt Mary smiled at her as she ran upstairs to get her stuff, already knowing what her plans for the day were. Erica waved at her before she left the house once more with a chocolate bar in one hand and her computer bag in the other. Paradiso Coffee and Teas wasn't that far from where she lived so it was a short five-minute walk to it which helped a lot when she needed to just relax after a hard day at school or superheroing, the former of which was happening quite often nowadays.

She smiled as she spotted the welcoming sign that held a sun behind the business's name. Upon entering she quickly smelled the incense that made the place smell like it was on a beach somewhere where it never got cold. All of the employees smiled and waved at her, earning a smile and wave back as she approached the counter. Neil, the current cashier, smiled at her, "The usual, Erica?"

"You know me too well," her smile broadening as the place easily eased any of her worries. He grabbed a large cup as she pulled out her wallet to pay, already knowing the exact cost. "But can you put Lord Voldemort on the cup this time?"

"Sure thing," he smirked as he quickly jotted it down before taking her money. "We'll have it right out."

"Thanks, Neil," she replied as she took her receipt. It was fun coming to this café, most of the employees would go along with her crazy ideas of what to put on a cup such as now. She'd done quite a few: Lucifer, Master Chief, Sauron, Pippin, etc., but her favorite would always be Voldemort, she was never disappointed with that one. Although Pippin's was fun as the barista would shout, "Fool of a Took, your drink's ready!" That would get a laugh out of the other customers.

She sat down at one of the booths, glancing out as cars drove by, and pulled out her laptop. Setting it down she quickly opened and turned it on, getting a Word document ready for notes before they put everything into a PowerPoint. Someone tapped her shoulder and she looked up to see Justin standing there with a receipt in his hand. She smiled and waved at him, "Hey."

He blinked in surprise, "Hey. Did you already order?"

"Yup," she replied. He slid into the seat next to her so that their shoulders were almost touching though she didn't notice as she turned back to her laptop. "So, how much longer do you think Courtney will be?"

"With her it's hard to tell," he stated, pulling out his phone. "Why didn't you two exchange cell numbers yesterday?"

She looked at him as if to ask him he was serious, "Exchange numbers with my bully? Are you kidding me?"

"Right, sorry," he chuckled, rubbing his neck nervously. "Have you been waiting here for long?"

"Nope, haven't even gotten my first drink yet."

As if to accent her statement Neil placed her drink on the table, "Here's your white hot chocolate, He-Who-Must-Be-Named."

"Thank you, my faithful minion," Erica smiled as she took it. "The Dark Lord appreciates your service."

"Anytime," Neil smiled and they began laughing while Justin looked between them in confusion.

As Neil went back up to the counter Justin turned to her, "You do that often?"

"Oh yeah," Erica smiled as she took a sip of her drink. "It gives everyone something to laugh about. You should see what they do when I tell them my name's Darth Vader."

"What do they do," he asked. She merely smiled at him before turning to her laptop. "I'm confused about something. At school you're…"

"Shy? Quiet? Don't laugh in front of people or mess around?"

"Yeah."

Erica put the cup down, "Well, that's at school. Don't know why I act differently there, probably some psychological thing, but I do. By the way, if you're worried about Courtney bullying me here, you don't have to. She'll quickly figure out that I'm not someone she wants to mess with."

He nodded just as the café door opened and someone ran up to them. Erica looked over as Courtney threw her arms around Justin's neck with a smile on her face, "Justin! I missed you."

Erica smirked as he frowned, "How was your shopping day?" Both looked at her in confusion. "Well, Courtney, the shirt you're wearing still has the price tag on it." She reached over and pulled it off. "And the paint on your nails is still slightly wet, so how was your shopping? Don't tell me that you skipped your practice just so you could make yourself look more appealing for a group project?"

"At least I'm still better looking than you," Courtney hissed, not releasing Justin until he pried her arms off of him. She hadn't tried to conceal her voice so all the employees were looking at her in shock and anger.

"Hmm, that's debatable," Erica replied with a smile. "Why don't you go get your drink and we'll get started? That is if you didn't spend your allowance on that fifty-dollar shirt you're wearing."

Courtney huffed and stomped over to the counter as Neil came and handed Justin his cup. Erica wrinkled her nose at the smell of coffee, but didn't say anything. He nodded at the barista who then walked back to the counter to reluctantly take the cheerleader's order. The quarterback sighed, "This is going to be a long project isn't it?"

"Possibly," Erica replied. Courtney soon came over and sat across from Justin, glaring at the ginger who paid her no mind. "Now, let's get started. Justin, did you bring the sheet?"

He nodded and she prepared herself to type the question and answers everyone gave. Pulling the paper out of his pocket he unfolded it, "Alright, first question is who we live with. Parents."

"Parents," Courtney stated, looking at her nails.

Erica nodded and typed it out. Justin looked at her, "Who do you live with, Erica?"

"My aunt and uncle," she replied, not looking at her partners.

Courtney smirked, "Oh, I bet you must be a real disappointment to your parents then if they left you with relatives." Erica stopped typing for a second. "Did I strike a nerve?"

"That's enough," Justin snapped while looking at Erica sadly.

"Don't look at me like that," she said. "Let's just continue with the questions."

"How many siblings do you have? Two."

"One," Courtney looked at Erica. "How about you?" Erica shook her head to say that she was an only child. "That explains why you have horrible social skills."

Erica sighed and shut her laptop, allowing her to look at the blonde completely. "Courtney, stop acting like you know me because you don't. Believe me that you don't even see the tip of the iceberg with me and so I suggest you stop trying to push my buttons or else you'll see how you've made a poor choice in messing with the wrong person." Courtney stared at her in shock. "That's what I thought. Now, shall we get back to the assignment?"

"Uh, yeah," Justin nodded, seeming surprised by her change in attitude. He turned back to the paper and they continued with the questions.

As the café got busier, Neil and Kathryn, the other barista, were forced to merely call up customers to let them know their drink is ready. And in all the chaos the two "accidentally" messed up Courtney's drink, to which she complained loudly about. Unfortunately, the cheerleader hadn't stopped or even slowed her jabs at Erica to which the redhead was struggling to hold her tongue to keep from saying something she'd regret.

They'd spent almost an hour and a half working before Erica realized she was out of hot chocolate. She activated the lock screen on her computer and turned to Justin, "Please move, I need to get another drink."

"Of course," he stood so she could slide out of the booth.

She nodded at him as politely as she could while Courtney muttered something about her being a waste of her aunt and uncle's money. Walking up to the counter with clenched fists, Neil held up his hand, "Don't say anything. We'll get you one of your favorite drinks on the house and we'll pick the name, got it?"

"Thanks, Neil," she sighed, letting her shoulders fall. "It's just her. I'm trying my hardest to not do anything so we can get our project done, but she's not making it easy."

"Don't worry, Erica," Kathryn popped in. "We'll help you out, just give us the signal."

Erica smiled, "Thanks." She turned back to the table and immediately any happiness disappeared. Courtney was trying to get into her computer and Justin wasn't anywhere in sight. "That's not going to work, you know?" Courtney jumped and glared at her. "My boss had that made specifically for me so you're not going to be able to get into it."

"I just wanted to see what you'd written down for our project," Courtney said in fake innocence. Erica sat down and turned the laptop to face her and saw that it was asking for her to restart her computer. She sighed and quickly began typing it, using her own programming experience to undo whatever Courtney had done and bypass the need for a restart. After the lock screen came back up, she quickly flicked her right forefinger down a fingerprint scanner and typed in an eight-digit passcode to bring up her wallpaper of her curled up with Moon Knight. "While Justin's gone, I think it's time we had a little chat."

"Oh, and what could you possibly have to say to me," Erica asked, bringing up the Word document and quickly saving it just in case Courtney tried to access her computer again.

"Stay away from Justin," Courtney hissed, causing Erica to look up in confusion. "You're an idiot if you think the star quarterback would stoop so low as to date a hopeless nobody like you. And if you continue this way, my daddy can make your life a living hell!"

Erica blinked for a second, processing what was just said, "Alright, first off I know several billionaires that would beg to differ on the 'hopeless nobody' part and second off, you think I want to date Justin? Is that what all of this has been about?"

"Part of it," Courtney looked a bit confused. "I mean, who wouldn't? He's tall, strong, handsome, and…" She rested her head in her hands as she gave a dreamy sigh.

"You've got it all wrong," Erica shook her head. "I don't even know the guy and I wouldn't date a stranger." She didn't notice Justin standing there listening to the conversation. "Besides I don't have time for dating. Between my high school and college classes, extracurricular activities, and my internship I barely have time for sleep and hanging out with friends outside of school let alone have time for a guy I occasionally see in the hallways and class and who sometimes comes to help me when you and your goon squad shove me into my locker." She was typing rather quickly on her computer, doing a few calculations for a project she needed to do for Bruce Wayne. "So, what are the other reasons for you bullying me?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out, bookworm," Courtney replied, quickly going back to her usual ways around Erica.

Erica merely looked at her in amusement, "You know bookworm's a compliment, right?"

The cheerleader seemed horrified as Justin sat down, pretending he only heard the last bit of the conversation as he smirked, "So, anymore bullying happen?"

"Not any good attempt at it," Erica replied, glancing back down and saving her work. "Let's get back to work shall we?"

Before Justin could ask the next question the café employees gathered around the front of the counter and began making a noise that Erica quickly recognized as Darth Vader's theme song. They didn't. She glanced over as the staff made their way over to their table after making a loop around the café with Neil at the front. When they were at the table, the others quickly ended the song and Neil spoke, "Your cream-based, white chocolate, chocolate chip frappuccino, Lord Vader."

"The empire thanks you for your service, troopers," she replied in a mysterious voice, making a noise that sounded like Vader's breathing before and after the sentence as she took the cold drink. The employees saluted before going back to work while doing the theme song for a little bit. "That's what happens when they put Darth Vader on the cup."

Erica stretched as she stood by the table. They'd spent a few more hours, occasionally buying another drink, working on the project and Erica couldn't be happier that it was over. Courtney had left a few minutes ago, saying she needed to get home for dinner with her family because her parents loved and cared for her. That just caused the ginger to roll her eyes in annoyance, she just wanted to go home and eat with her loving relatives who would help her relax from this stressful meeting. Thankfully they wouldn't be meeting tomorrow as they already had it done.

She grabbed her bag with her laptop as Justin tapped her shoulder. When she looked at him he seemed a bit nervous. "Uh, would you like me to walk you home?"

"Sure," she replied with a relaxed smile now that her bully was gone. "But you don't have to."

"But I choose to," he replied with a relieved smile. They exited the café, Erica waving at her friends as they left, and then turned down the street that would lead to her house. Erica had a small skip in her step as she walked along the familiar streets. "You know, I like this better."

"You like what better," Erica asked in confusion.

"This side of you," Justin replied. "Where you aren't afraid to be yourself." She gave him a tiny smile as she realized that he didn't truly know who she was. "So, uh, I kind of overheard your conversation with Courtney. About me."

Erica blinked, "Oh. I hope I didn't offend you, I was just trying to get her to understand something."

"No, no, I wasn't offended," he exclaimed quickly. She looked up at him, waiting for him to continue. "I-I just thought that, maybe, we should get to know each other better."

"Okay," she stated. "What do you want to do when you get out of high school?"

He tensed slightly, "Uh, well, don't make fun of me or anything, but I'd like to join the Justice League."

"Why?"

"Well, they fight for those who can't protect themselves and they are proof that there are still good people in this world that's starting to go into a downward spiral. Who wouldn't want to join them?" Erica shrugged. "Besides, they can make a difference in the world, more than plain old me ever could."

She laughed at that, "Oh, Justin, there's so much you could do." He tensed some more as if he was afraid of something. "I mean even the tiniest of pebbles can create a ripple in the waters of life and those ripples affect others in ways that we wouldn't even dream of. So, whether you have powers or not doesn't affect your ability to make a difference in the world." He relaxed a little. "Okay, who's your favorite hero?"

"They're not a part of the League yet," he looked at her and she hummed. "Emerald Lantern." It was Erica's turn to tense as she looked up into those eyes that held a knowing light. He couldn't know, could he? "Erica, you know you can entrust me with your secret, right?"

"I barely know you," she replied, looking ahead.

"That's why I'm trying to change that," he stated, trying to get her to look at him again. "Do you have a safe place we can talk?"

She walked up to the door, "Come with me." He nodded and followed her inside. "I'm going up to my room with a friend, I'll be back down for dinner in a few."

"Okay, sweetie, just no funny business," Aunt Mary called after her.

"Okay," Erica replied. She let Justin enter her simple room first. "How much do you know?"

"A lot," he replied with a smile while looking around. There wasn't much to see as she hadn't had the heart to really unpack most of her decorations that had been hanging up in her old room. In the direct center of the room was a large, queen-sized, blue bed, it's headboard acting as an additional bookcase that was practically overflowing. She had a small wooden desk that was neatly organized to have all of her school and internship stuff in alphabetical order and a small white dresser was put underneath one of her windows. "Who knew that Emerald Lantern would have such an ordinary room?"

"How did you find out," she asked as she sat at her desk, putting her laptop down on the floor.

He looked at her, "Well, one day I'd been walking the halls in school and saw Courtney and her gang going through someone's locker. I, of course, shooed them off and when I'd been putting some of the stuff back I noticed it was yours." Well that's just great. "A small black bag fell out and it clanged when it hit the ground, so I opened it to make sure everything was okay and saw your Lantern."

Erica frowned, she sometimes took her Lantern to school for emergencies, mostly when she forgot to charge her ring the night before, but rarely ever left it at school. Great, she'd have to be more careful with that from now on. She sighed and leaned back, "Alright, Justin, promise me you won't tell anyone or I'll get a telepath in here to erase your memory, got it?"

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, smiling at her once more. "So, I guess we're friends now?"

She looked at him and sighed with a small smile, "Yeah, I guess we are." Her phone buzzed and she looked down at the text from Wally before smirking, "Called it. He was being mind-controlled."

"Who was?"

"Don't worry about it."

Justin was walking home after dropping Erica off. He was happy that he had finally gotten more than a sentence out of her, that they were now friends, but he felt bad as well. His own secret hadn't been revealed yet. Not the one about his crush on her, but the one about his…It didn't matter. What mattered was that he finally accomplished what he had wanted to since he'd first seen Erica at the beginning of the year. He'd finally become close to her and gotten to know her, if only a little bit.


	20. Chapter 20

Batman walked into the meeting hall with Superman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman to greet the other members of the League. Aquaman was the first to speak, "Our agenda is clear. What's at stake should not be underestimated."

"The decisions we make today will reverberate for years to come," Superman continued.

"And influence whether or not the world continues to put their trust in the Justice League," Wonder Woman was the next to speak.

Batman finished the small speech off, "Please take your seats. We have work to do."

Everyone took their seats at the small u-table, with a hologram projector situated where everyone can see it. Martian Manhunter was standing, "Another expansion of the League could generate another escalation of hostilities from our enemies. No one needs or wants another Injustice League."

"Point taken," Superman intervened, "but the option remains to vote no on all candidates. So…I nominate Icon for League membership." The hologram of said hero appeared and everyone focused on it.

"Why, 'cause you suspect Icon might be Kryptonian like you did with Captain Marvel," Green Arrow asked.

"You thought I was Kryptonian," Captain Marvel asked, seeming slightly surprised. "Cool!"

Wonder Woman put her hand on Superman's forearm, "Icon interests me also. As does his protégé, Rocket." Rocket's hologram took Icon's place. "Athena knows the League could use more female members."

"Agreed," Black Canary stated, followed by Hawk Woman's cheer of "Here, here."

Captain Marvel looked at all the men beside him. Why weren't there more females in the League?

Erica slid the turkey into the oven as her aunt got the mashed potatoes ready. Despite her love for a holiday to spend with family, everything she did she didn't quite put her best effort into it. It was her first Thanksgiving without her parents after all. Everything she did reminded her of when they were around. Half the time she was expecting to turn around and see them smiling and laughing as her dad put some butter on her mom's nose as she made the deviled eggs. It was hard to believe that they were gone.

"Erica, how are you holding up," Aunt Mary suddenly asked as she put a hand on Erica's shoulder. The latter girl almost jumped as she hadn't even heard her aunt's approach.

She gave her a half-hearted smile, "I'm fine."

"Don't try and lie to me, young lady," the older woman scolded. "I know that you're thinking about your parents." Erica looked down. "Look, sweetie, we all miss them and we all wish they were here. Your mother was one of my best friends growing up."

"I know, Aunt Mary, but it's just," she couldn't find any words to describe how she was feeling. She'd never been very good at that at all.

"I know, sweetie," Aunt Mary hugged her as she felt tears coming to her eyes. "I know." Erica fought back sobs as she hugged her aunt back. It just hurt so much to think that they were gone. Forever.

"Seriously," Captain Marvel asked. "The Atom? Well, how useful could he be at that size?"

"It's the _size_ that _makes_ him useful," Batman explained.

Flash nodded, "Absolutely! Still, we could always use more raw power. And Earth has two other Green Lanterns, like Guy Gardner."

"No," Hal and John Stewart said at the same time.

"But we could really-"

"No."

He sighed and brought up a different image, "Alright, how about Emerald then?"

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea at the moment," Hal stated.

Wonder Woman looked at him, "You're not going to nominate your own protégé for League membership?"

Everyone looked at him as he spoke, "There's more to her than just being a Green Lantern. Sure, she chooses it, but thanks to her ring she doesn't have to be a Green Lantern." He pressed a few buttons on the screen causing his protégé's suit to change. "Thanks to this it's sometimes difficult to tell where her loyalties lie. Not only that, but…you should've seen her when she found out what her ring was truly capable of. She was…different."

"How so," Flash asked, concern showing on his features.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Hal muttered looking away for a second before turning his attention back to the image. "Besides, we don't even know how her ring works. How it does what it does."

"Emerald knows," Black Canary said. "Kent Nelson told her before he died and she's been trying to process it ever since." Hal looked up in surprise. "She told me after the failed training simulation, but as you know I can't exactly reveal that information without her approval."

Everyone looked at each other. That was certainly an interesting development. Perhaps, they would need to look a bit more closely at who they believed and trusted.


	21. Chapter 21

Emerald sat in the base reading a book when her ring began to flash. She looked at it in surprise. What in the world could they want? It had to be important though if they were calling her to Oa. She sighed and put a bookmark to hold her spot before standing and putting the book on the arm of the couch.

Her uniform activated as she began to walk to the hanger bay when the Zeta Tube activated. She paused and looked over to see Roy enter with his former mentor. Her eyes lit up as she tackled her friend in a hug, "Roy, I'm so happy to see you."

"It's good to see you too, Em," he replied, hugging her back.

"You going somewhere, Emerald," Green Arrow asked as they separated. "I was going to be giving the team a mission."

She groaned, "Why does something always have to come up when we have missions? Wait, what are you doing here, Roy?"

"I'm joining the team," he replied.

"Augh, first mission with you as a part of the team and I'm missing it," she threw her arms up in the air as her suit turned red for a moment. She sighed, "The Guardians called me to Oa, so I have to leave and soon. They're grumpy when they have to wait."

Roy seemed a bit sad, "Oh. When will you be back?"

"Don't know," she shrugged. "Sometimes the Guardians like to hear themselves talk and it's a long way to Oa even with the wormhole. So, depending on how well the mission goes I might be back after it's over. Hope not, but you know."

He nodded, "Have fun."

She chuckled as she began to continue her journey to the hanger bay, "You realize this a meeting with the Guardians, right? It'll be anything but fun."

The wormhole deposited her near the planet and she was immediately greeted by Kilowog. He smiled as he flew up to her, "Hey, Erica, long time no see."

"Yeah, sorry about that," she smiled. "I've been meaning to come and visit, but everything's been a bit hectic on Earth."

"So Hal's told me," he said as they began to fly down to Oa. "Do you know what the Guardians have called you here for?" She shook her head and he chuckled. "Well, it's certainly going to be worth the long journey."

She flew in front of him, "Wait, you know why I'm here?"

He nodded, "But I can't tell you."

"Not fair!"

He laughed again as she pouted while they flew to where the Guardians would be. She landed softly and began to walk beside her friend into a large building. Her mind was racing with all the possibilities of why she was there. Was she in trouble? Did she do something wrong? That didn't seem to be the reason. So, what was it? She didn't think she blew anything up recently.

They entered the door and all of the Guardians looked down at her, "Erica West. We've been waiting for you."

She nodded at them respectfully, keeping her usual childish behavior bottled up as she spoke, "What is it that you need?"

There was silence for a moment as they looked at each other. She had never been able to keep their names straight very well. The only one she knew had been Ganthet, but he was banished and became the leader of the Blue Lanterns a while ago. One spoke, "Congratulations, Erica West. You are now the youngest person to become a member of the Alpha Corps."

Her eyes widened in surprise, "What?"

"Are you not pleased," another asked.

"No, no, I am," she replied hastily. "I'm just…surprised. I didn't expect to be chosen to be a member of Alpha Corps." Kilowog nudged her shoulder causing her to stumble.

"As we are aware that on your planet you must keep your Green Lantern activities a secret and that you are still a student in…high school, your first assignment will be given to you after you graduate," a third stated.

She smiled and nodded at them, "Thank you."

"You're dismissed."

Kilowog walked out with Erica, "Too bad Hal couldn't be here for you."

"Yeah," she muttered, in a slight daze. "That wasn't what I was expecting at all." They reached the final door and exited the building. She suddenly stopped and Kilowog looked at her in concern, "That was…awesome!" She hugged him and laughed. "I'm an Alpha Lantern now, I can't believe it. Wait until I tell Hal and Razer. Oh, is Razer still here on Oa? I need to give him something."

The older Lantern chuckled as she spun around in the air, "There's the Erica I know."

She smiled at him, "Kilowog, thanks for being there with me."

"No problem," he smiled. "Come on, Razer recently came back from visiting somewhere. He didn't say what he's been up to."

"Oh, we've just been getting Aya back," Emerald replied with a bright smile, while holding something up. Kilowog's eyes widened before smiling and nodding. It was a long time coming.

"I'm back," Emerald called as Wally stormed off and Aqualad walked away. "Uh, did I miss something while I was on Oa."

"Quite a bit," Roy stated as the others began to leave as well. He walked off as well after telling Artemis something, leaving the two girls there.

Emerald looked at her friend, "Alright, what happened while I was gone?"

"Can we talk somewhere else," Artemis asked, her voice was soft and it sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

"Yeah, come on, I know a great café," Emerald hugged her and began to lead her to the zeta tubes. What had happened to bring Artemis down like this? If Roy had done something to have this happen, he was going to be facing a _very_ angry Emerald.


	22. Chapter 22

*A few weeks ago*

"Alright, what am I looking for," Emerald asked as she flew into the Manhunter temple that had brought down the highway her parents had been on.

 ** _"A computer console,"_** Razer replied using a communicator that the Guardians had built for long-distance communication. **_"I believe if Aya did put a part of her consciousness somewhere, it'd be in something like that."_**

Emerald shrugged as she maneuvered through the hallways, "Makes sense, and if this temple didn't activate with the others, there's a possibility she put it here for safekeeping as no one was aware of its presence until recently. I'll meet you on Oa when you're done checking your end, it may take me a while to sift through everything, if anything even works in here."

 ** _"Sure thing,"_** Razer said softly, as if he was hoping to hear right away.

"Don't worry, Razer, we'll find her," she said comfortingly before cutting off the coms. She landed in a large room that was the main area for the factory, everything was off and dust covered it. Using her ring as a flashlight, she began to look around for the items she needed. She smirked as she spotted a console and walked over to it. Looking down at it, she was happy to see that it was still functional. Tapping away on the computer, she began to look through the different files. Her smirk widened as she recognized what it was.

"Found you."

Now, time to piece her back together.

*Present*

"So, Robin took Superboy, Miss Martian, Artemis, and Red Arrow to Haly's Circus to prove his old friend innocent of stealing items while on tour," Emerald asked Wally when she entered the kitchen. He took a bite out of his sandwich and nodded. She put her fist in her palm, "Well, excuse me while I get the walls ready to have a person sent through them."

"Which one are you going to hit," Wally asked around a mouthful of food.

She smirked and tilted her chin as if to think about it, "I'm thinking Robin for not taking us with and Red Arrow for what happened with Artemis last time. Sound like a plan?"

"How about, no hitting anyone through walls? At least as long as they don't have superpowers," Wally suggested.

"That's no fun. Are you trying to take the joy out of my life?"

"No?"

"Hmm, that's what I thought. Fine, I'll just smack them both a few…dozen times when they get back."

Wally groaned as his cousin walked away and pressed the communicator once more to talk to Robin, "You and Red might want to be prepared for the smack down of your lives. Emerald's not too happy with you."

 ** _"Great."_**

It was a couple weeks later when the team was watching the TV as the new members of the Justice League were given a ceremony. And, in case you were wondering, Emerald did smack both of her friends around to the horror of her other teammates. She was sitting on a couch doing some calculations for a device that could possibly counteract a black hole generator, like what Parasite was trying to make while working in Haly's Circus, while the others and the new member watched the news.

Wally was happily crunching on an apple when he spoke, "I'm glad they didn't kick Billy out. And I love the fact that there's a 10-year-old on the League."

"There is," Rocket asked at the same time as Robin elbowed the speedster and Emerald created a green hand to smack him on the back of the head.

"Way to keep a secret, genius," they said almost in unison.

"Hey, she's on the Team now, right," Wally asked looking at Robin.

They watched the new members be handed their membership cards and when it came to Icon, Rocket spoke, "You know, I was the one who convinced Icon to become a hero in the first place. I should be outside celebrating with him not hidden away in here."

Aqualad smiled, "Welcome to our world."

"Well, I suppose there's an upside too," Rocket smiled.

"If it makes you feel any better, I was a Green Lantern before two others even got their rings and one of them has already become a member of the League," Emerald offered while twirling her pencil in the air, not noticing Robin, Superboy, and Aqualad looking back at her.

Wally suddenly grabbed his cousin and brought her in front of the TV, she was about to scold him for interrupting her work until he directed her attention to the TV where Red Arrow was getting his card from his former mentor. She smiled as they shook hands and Wally fist pumped the air, "Way to go, Roy!"

"At last, he has his wish," Aqualad agreed.

"The first of us to make it," Robin added. "No one will call him a sidekick anymore."

"Yeah," Emerald nodded, smiling at the TV.

"Wait," Rocket interrupted. "Since when is being a sidekick a bad thing? You sidekicks were my inspiration."

Emerald looked at her, "As sweet as that is you realize that this team was started because we were tired of being treated like sidekicks, right?" Robin's watch began beeping and he looked down at it at the same time as Emerald. "Is that what I think it is?" He smirked. "Oh, you sly bird boy."

"Are you sure it's her," Artemis asked. "I mean, are you absolutely positive?"

"See for yourself," Robin replied pulling up several screens as Emerald put a hand on her shoulder. "This is the security footage from the Ashfield Regional Airport. Facial recognition confirms that's Jade Nguyen. But you've seen her without her mask, what do you think?"

Artemis leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest, "It's Jade. Cheshire."

"Agreed," Aqualad stated. "But focus on what she carries. Is that the case you saw in New Orleans? The one that got away?"

"Yes," Artemis looked down.

"Okay," Rocket entered the conversation, "I'm guessing from the mug shot that this Cheshire's a bad guy. But what's so important about that case?"

The picture on the window changed as Robin began to explain, "Remember the Injustice League?"

"And their giant evil plants? Uh, yeah."

"The Team and the League put them in prison," Aqualad continued, "but their allies still scheme. And whatever is in that containment case seems important to their plans."

"We had a chance to grab it in New Orleans, but someone screwed up," Wally finished, giving a pointed look at Artemis who looked uncomfortable.

Emerald leaned forward, "Or it's possible that the Injustice League was merely a distraction to divert attention away from another group of villains that are working in secret. Merely pawns in a larger game." Everyone looked at her. "What? It's a possibility. Oh, Wally? If you start to bring that up, I'm throwing you out the window and dropping you onto the mountainside with your arms and legs tied, got it?"

It became deathly silent as Emerald grinned innocently at her cousin, no one seemed able to comprehend the threat that was just made or if it was just a joke. Miss Martian coughed to break the silence, "Uh, approaching Cheshire's jet." She suddenly gasped as they saw the wreckage and Emerald put a hand on Artemis's shoulder once more. "It looks like there were no survivors."

Emerald squeezed her friend's shoulder before standing, "Let's go see what we can find."

Emerald was hovering above her friends, unable to hear what everyone else said as she surveyed the crash. Not wasting a moment, she used her ring to scan the wreckage before stopping as she realized something. Even if Cheshire was the pilot, there had to have been at least one body if there weren't any survivors and if there was, where were the footprints to suggest which way they went. She flew back down just as Superboy asked, "Where are the bodies?"

"Here's one," Cheshire's voice replied. They looked up to see her standing on some rocks that formed a small landing on the surrounding cliffs holding the containment unit. "And it is stunning."

"I am flora, not fauna," another voice shouted and they looked up to see the Riddler and several others on the cliff. "I am foliage, not trees. What am I?" He snapped his fingers and little tower things came out of the snow to form a green dome in the small canyon. "Hey, come on, you can get this. I am shrubbery, not grass. What am I? I…"

"Ambush," Robin finished as Emerald looked around at all of the enemies.

Riddler walked to the edge of the cliff he stood on and looked down at them, "Didn't you think we'd be tipped you were on Cheshire's trail? We're tired of your interference, kiddies. This is the end game. Ordered from above and executed by their master strategist, moi."

"Ugh, can you not use fragmented sentences," Emerald asked.

 _"Miss Martian, is everyone linked,"_ Aqualad asked.

 _"Yes."_

 _"Go."_

Everyone took off to fight. Emerald flew high into the air creating a hammer as she went before turning as snow started to fly everywhere and began to speed toward the ground. She pulled up at the last instant and swung her hammer at some of the assassins causing them to go flying away.

 _"Superboy, Emerald, the pylons,"_ Aqualad ordered.

 _"On it,"_ Emerald replied, changing direction to go to the top of the cliff and smacking people out of her way as she went. She landed on the top and looked at the first pylon, trading out her hammer for swords, she slashed through it easily. As she turned to the next, she was hit in the back by a red disc that surrounded her with lightning. She screamed in pain before biting her lip and looked up at it. A green bubble surrounded her, cutting off the electricity and then she sent a sword straight through it, piercing the disc and destroying it.

The man who sent the disc at her began to run but she grabbed his leg with a construct and tossed him into the dome. He was shocked but soon fell into the snow, completely unconscious. She nodded and stood up before creating a drill in front of her and began to circle around the canyon, destroying the pylons easily until the dome was no more. Letting it disappear, she looked at her team, _"Well, that was fun. What's next?"_

"Tell me if this sounds familiar," Batman began when they were back at Mount Justice. "You hacked League systems, disobeyed protocol, and endangered your lives. And your initiative resulted in the capture of three escaped felons, proving Warden Strange runs Belrev as a cover for felon activity." He smiled, "Well done." The team looked at each other at the compliment and smile, as if they'd just won the lottery. "And then there's this."

Batman looked at the case which had some weird devices in it as Emerald spoke, "It appears to be biotechnology integrated with some form of nano-circuitry." Her team looked at her. "What?"

"Just what is your IQ, girl," Rocket asked.

Emerald blushed and rubbed the back of her neck as Icon spoke, saving her from answering, "Though I am unfamiliar with this species the bio component it's clearly not of Earth. Did your ring recognize it, Emerald?"

"No," Emerald shook her head. "Whatever made it look like this has messed with anything my ring could use to identify it."

"We'll take it to the Watchtower for further study," Batman stated, closing the lid and picking up the case and walking to the Zeta tubes.

Eventually only the team was left in the base and Robin looked at Aqualad, "You realize we were set up."

"Yes," Aqualad replied. "Cheshire and Riddler were tipped and ready for us."

Artemis put a hand to her forehead, "Not the mole thing again."

"Mole thing," Rocket asked. "Again?"

"We had intel that there was a traitor on our team," Kid Flash explained.

"Mainly Artemis, M'Gann, or me," Superboy added as he walked forward so that he stood in front of the new girl.

Aqualad put a hand on his shoulder, "It is more complicated than that." Superboy shrugged him off and began to walk off. "But your recent behavior does concern me. Your attack on Mammoth nearly got Artemis killed."

The clone suddenly stopped walking and held a hand to his head as if something was hurting him. Then he straightened and Emerald walked toward him in worry as Moon Knight and Wolf entered the room, "Superboy, are you alright?"

He turned to them, "There's something I need to do. Something I need to tell you."

"What is it," Emerald asked as she knelt to pet Moon Knight's head, unaware that Rocket was a little freaked out by the albino panther.

"Last month, on Thanksgiving I went back to Cadmus and found a few things out," Superboy began. "When I was cloned, only half the DNA was Superman's. The other half was human. That's why I don't have, will never have full Kryptonian powers."

"You sure," Robin asked as Emerald frowned. "'Cause you sure seemed to have them today."

Emerald looked at her friend expectantly, a bad feeling in her stomach as he spoke again, "I've been using these." He pulled up his sleeve to reveal a black patch that resembled the shield that was on his shirt. "Shields. They suppress my human DNA. I get the flight, the heat vision, but I think I also get angry. Well, angrier. I'm sorry."

"Where did you get those," Aqualad asked.

"From my human father, Lex Luthor," Superboy replied, pulling out the container they'd apparently been in while everyone's eyes widened.

"Lex Luthor…is your dad," Robin seemed stunned. Emerald didn't reply and merely continued petting Moon Knight.

"He summoned me to Santa Prisca," Superboy finished.

Emerald stood slowly, gaining everyone's attention as she walked with her head bowed to the clone. When she was close enough, she punched him in the chest with a construct surrounding her fist causing him to stumble slightly, "That's for using those things, you idiot. They're basically steroids, numbskull!"

"Thanks for the pep talk, Em," he replied, rubbing his chest slightly.

She turned away from him and crossed her arms over her chest and went back to Moon Knight who began to purr. Artemis suddenly spoke, "Uh, listen. Emerald already knows this, but Superboy's not the only one suffering from bad DNA." She walked over to the holographic computer and pulled up a few pictures, specifically of Sportsmaster, Cheshire, and Huntress. "My mother is Huntress, an ex-con. The rest of my family aren't even ex. My dad's Sportsmaster. And he's sending my sister, Cheshire, to fly me to Santa Prisca too."

"That's why…," Wally began, figuring it out.

"Yeah," Artemis replied. "I was so desperate to make sure none of you found out, except Emerald who found out basically on my first day."

"I knew," Robin smiled. Artemis looked at him surprised. "Hey, I'm a detective. But it never mattered. You aren't your family. You're one of us."

Wally wrapped an arm around Artemis, "So, uh, who's next?"

Miss Martian looked down, "I am."

Wally raised his hands up, "I swear I was kidding."

"Queen Bee's been blackmailing me," she said slowly as if unsure whether or not she wanted to talk about it. "She wants me in Santa Prisca too."

"Blackmailing? How," Aqualad asked.

"She knows my true Martian form," Megan replied, still looking down.

"Bald M'Gann," Robin smiled. "Who cares if…"

"No," she interrupted. She sighed before transforming into a White Martian. Everyone except Emerald, Aqualad, and Superboy to gasp and step back. She looked at them and folded her arms around her, _"I realized you would never accept me if you saw what I really am."_

"M'Gann, did we truly seem so shallow," Aqualad stepped toward her as Emerald stood.

 _"I couldn't take a chance,"_ she sounded sad. _"Being a White Martian among the Green on Mars I endured constant rejection. I couldn't face that from-"_

"From me," Superboy asked.

Emerald smiled, "Well, you didn't have to worry, Superboy and I have known for a little while." Surprised glances were thrown their way. "What? I get bored and scan things with my ring for fun sometimes. It just so happened that one of those times I accidentally scanned M'Gann and found out, the Guardians can tell the two Martians apart even when they shapeshift."

Superboy walked forward and grabbed one of her hands as she let them drop off of her shoulders. The two began a telepathic conversation and Emerald smiled as Miss Martian went back to the form she took when she came to Earth. Robin sighed and put his hands behind his head, "Anyone else want to share any secrets they have?"

Emerald rubbed the back of her head and Wally groaned, "Please, cousin, tell me that you aren't being blackmailed."

"I'm not, I've just got some news…and a secret that I think it's time to share," she began to twist her ring around her finger. Everyone looked at her. "So, uh, news first, I guess. The day I was summoned to Oa by the Guardians I was made a member of the Alpha Corps."

"That's good right," Superboy asked.

She nodded, "I'm the youngest member to ever join, but the bad news is that when I graduate high school in a few months I won't be on Earth quite as often as I'll be given missions of my own. Patrolling the galaxy and such."

Aqualad seemed sad as he realized what she was saying, "Meaning you won't be able to remain with the team."

She nodded and looked down as Moon Knight rubbed his head against her leg. There was silence for a moment before Artemis spoke, "So, what's the secret?"

"Oh, uh, right, the secret," she began to focus more on Moon Knight before sighing. "Well, before Kent Nelson, the previous Doctor Fate, died he told me something. It was about how my ring is able to go between the nine different corps." As she spoke her uniform changed to the different colors before going back to being green. "It turns out that this ring was actually created by Nabu, by Doctor Fate years ago."

"What," Zatanna asked.

Emerald began to scratch her panther's chin, "He intended it to be an instrument for order in the galaxy and in some other dimensions, this allowed it to go between the five Lantern Corps that were good: Green, Blue, White, Indigo, and the Star Sapphires. But then Klarion, the Lord of Chaos, found out about it and decided to try and make it an instrument for chaos instead, this gave it the other four Lantern Corps. Because both a Lord of Chaos and a Lord of Order used magic to create it, the user has to be between the two. Both good and bad in equal measure."

Artemis shook her head, "But you're not bad so why did it choose you?"

Emerald chuckled, "You have heard my threats haven't you? I am bad in a sense, but I'm able to control it to follow my morals. Most of the time." She frowned as if she thought about something that made her not so good. "Anyways, I discovered something else the ring can do."

"And what would that be," Superboy asked.

"Because it was created by two kinds of magic, it can absorb both kinds and use it to fuel my attacks. I get hit with either kind and I become even stronger, found that out when the world was split in two for a little while," she chuckled. "So, uh, yeah, that's all I got."

Silence once more before Rocket spoke, "Hey, you never answered my question about your IQ."

"I, uh-well, you see…I plead the fifth!"

Emerald watched from the trees as Superboy landed his bike on the ground of Santa Prisca. She was currently in the uniform of the Black Lanterns, helping her to blend into the darkening shadows. There were a lot more bad guys here then she thought there would be, but that wouldn't ruin the plan. Not one bit.

She watched everything that was going on while waiting for the signal to attack. Superboy stiffened as Luthor said something and smiled when Artemis and Miss Martian acted, taking Queen Bee out. When Bane and his men began to join the fight, Emerald got out of the tree she'd been hiding in, readying herself to jump into the fray.

 _"Guys, reinforcement time,"_ Artemis called.

Emerald smirked as she flew into the air and then swooped down on Bane's men with Rocket. She grabbed several of them and then tossed them into the air where they landed somewhere in the jungle. Instead of charging after the main villains, she decided to clear out all of the minions, limiting how many people they had to fight at once.

When she went to grab another handful of soldiers, she was hit in the back by something. Turning, she looked to see Bane throwing stuff around trying to hit Robin who was dodging. She sighed and before anyone could do anything, she grabbed the next thing thrown using a construct and tossed it right back. The tree trunk smacked into Bane and sent him to the ground where Robin detached the hose that gave him steroids and then used the attachment to shock him into unconsciousness.

The boy wonder looked up at her, "Thanks, Em."

"No problem," she replied tossing the last of the minions into the forest before flying down to land near him. "I guess that wraps that up. Why don't the bad guys ever put up a better fight?"

"I'm rather happy with how the fights are for now," Robin stated as they walked to help Zatanna onto her feet.

"But they're no fun," she replied. "Come on, the rusty Manhunters put up a better fight than these guys."

"I guess we're just that coordinated," Robin smiled.

"I guess so."

Robin and Zatanna went to join the others while Emerald looked up at the sky. She wondered how Razer was doing with Aya. When she'd given him the device that held the part of Aya that had been hidden away, he'd been determined to get it back into a functional system before finding a way to give her a body once more. How well was that going? Was Aya even awake yet?

She shook her head to bring herself back to Earth before walking to join her team. Today had been a good day.


	23. Chapter 23

"We have reason to feel proud of yesterday's victories," Aqualad said as they walked back into the base, having returned from Santa Prisca. "But one thing has not changed."

"Somehow the bad guys are still getting inside intel about us," Robin finished.

"Yeah, but at least we know none of us are the mole," Kid Flash cheered as if that was a positive thing.

Emerald turned to him, "You realize that that means we still have to find out who the mole is, right?"

"That's correct," Batman interrupted as they approached the Zeta tubes. Emerald's ring flashed slightly as she approached him and Red Tornado, that was unusual. "The mole was Red Arrow."

"Roy," Robin asked as everyone's eyes widened.

Emerald shook her head, "It couldn't be."

Wally leaned forward, "No way!"

"Batman, that cannot be," Aqualad stepped forward, not understanding when Emerald grabbed his arm to pull him back. "He was Green Arrow's protégé. We have all known him for years."

"Unfortunately, the Roy Harper we have known for the last three years is another Project Cadmus clone," Red Tornado stated.

A picture of Cadmus was pulled up as the Dark Knight continued, "We've learned that the real Speedy was abducted and replaced immediately after becoming Green Arrow's sidekick. The clone was pre-programmed with a drive to join the Justice League which is why he was so angry over any delays to his admission and why he refused to join the Team. This Roy Harper had no idea he was a clone or a traitor. And his subconscious programming drove him to become League worthy. So he struck out on his own as Red Arrow. When he was finally admitted his secondary programming kicking in and he attempted to betray the League to Vandal Savage. Fortunately, I had already deduced Red Arrow was a clone. We were prepared."

"Savage was subdued but Red Arrow escaped," Red Tornado finished. "He is now a fugitive, armed and dangerous."

Superboy rubbed the back of his neck, "If you guys hadn't rescued me from Cadmus…"

"What-what happened to the real Roy," Robin asked.

"We don't know," Batman replied. "He isn't at Cadmus. We have to face the possibility that the real Roy Harper is dead."

Emerald looked down, not realizing one hand was on Aqualad's arm while her other one clenched into a tight fist. So what if the Roy that she'd known was a clone, it didn't make him any less real. Perhaps if they found him they could get rid of the programming and get their friend back. Yes, that would become her mission now. To get her friend back.

"The clone Roy, the Team will find him," Aqualad stated confidently, though Emerald looked up at the anger that was barely restrained.

"Negative," Batman disagreed. "Red Arrow's a member of the Justice League now. Leave him to us." He raised a hand to his ear before looking at them as all of the holographs disappeared and Emerald looked at him in suspicion, normally he'd offer some words of encouragement to help them deal with this blow. "I'm needed on the Watchtower. Tornado, stay with the kids."

Alarm bells began to go off in her head, Batman had never called them kids. Something definitely wasn't right. Aqualad turned to them careful to allow Emerald to keep her hand on his arm in case it was for reassurance, _"Clone or no clone, Red Arrow was one of us. We will go after him."_

 _"Kaldur, something isn't right,"_ Emerald added before she noticed Red Tornado coming up behind the Atlantean only to have the android short circuit when he tried to raise his arm.

The others ran up to him as Aqualad turned to face the Justice League member. Miss Martian was the first one to speak while Emerald stepped forward to examine him, _"Tornado!"_

 _"What happened to him,"_ Superboy asked.

 _"He's totally powered down,"_ Kid Flash replied. Emerald grabbed Tornado's hand.

 _"All functions offline,"_ Robin added.

Zatanna held her hands to her head, _"Guys, I'm sensing a low-level mystic force at play. I-I don't know if it caused his shutdown but now that I think about it I was getting the same buzz off of Batman."_

 _"Told you something wasn't right,"_ Emerald pried open his hand that had been about to touch Aqualad. _"Since when does he call us kids?"_ She pulled out what was in his palm and looked at the device that they'd gotten from Cheshire, _"What's he doing with this?"_

 _"Emerald, is it possible for you to find out its purpose,"_ Aqualad asked. After a moment she nodded. _"Good. Robin, Kid, Zatanna, Rocket, see if you can get Tornado back online. The rest with me to find Ro…Red Arrow."_

They quickly began to move as Emerald looked up at Red Tornado's place and began to think out loud, "Priority should be getting Tornado online, but I'm not sure if we can trust his current body. He might have some tech I can use to scan this, but then again…" She smirked as she created a small lab of her own and went over to one item with Moon Knight coming up beside her. "Let's see what we can find out."

"Girl, seriously, what's your IQ," Rocket asked.

"Seriously, I plead the fifth on it," Emerald replied, placing the biotech down only to frown. "That's strange. Alright, let's get a good look at you shall we?"

The others shrugged and began to head up to Red Tornado's place only to come down with a few items and another android. She created a microscope around it and began to look down. The others began to set up something to download Tornado's consciousness and she began to talk out loud to herself, "Still obviously technology mixed with the biology of some creature, kind of reminds me of a star fish I dissected a few years ago in…zoology? I think that was the class. Anyways, let's…"

She trailed off as she noticed her ring flash as she heard the Zeta tubes open and the voice say that it was Black Canary. Grabbing the biotech, she removed the constructs and turned to face forward, wishing Miss Martian was there so she could warn the others without alerting Black Canary. The blonde walked in, "Hey, guys, I wanted to check in see how you're handling the…What are you doing to Red?"

"It's not how it looks," Wally protested, trying to calm the suddenly angry woman.

"It looks like you're downloading his consciousness into a new body," Black Canary stated exactly what was happening.

"Okay, it's pretty much exactly how it looks," Wally shrugged.

Emerald tensed, Moon Knight growling slightly at the female Justice League member as Red Tornado began to sit up, "Team, get out of the cave now!"

Black Canary began screaming. The supersonic sound basically tore the android's new body apart and flung one of the two pieces at Wally and the other part at Rocket and Zatanna. Robin attacked, but Black Canary tossed him aside as if he was nothing. She was about to scream at him when she noticed something had been attached to her jacket. It exploded and she was surrounded by a small cloud of smoke.

The blonde began coughing when Rocket created a barrier around her, trapping her in with some of the smoke. They watched her collapse into unconsciousness and Rocket let the bubble disappear as Emerald created chains to restrain her. Zatanna frowned, "Black Canary a-attacked us?"

"Black Canary is the least of our problems," Red Tornado answered. "We must abandon the cave."

Emerald looked at him as she pulled up the biotech, "Does it have something to do with this?" He nodded and she reached down and grabbed his top half. "Somebody get the rest of him, we have to leave."

By the time anyone else arrived they were gone.

"Stay off your radios," Tornado ordered as they flew away from the base with Emerald flying beside them, not enough room on the sphere for her to sit since she refused to leave Moon Knight behind. "Let the super cycle track Superboy. Instruct her to mask all signals. We cannot allow the League to track us."

"Right," Wally agreed. "Of course. Just one question: Why are they after us?"

"Because they obviously couldn't do to us what ever happened to them," Emerald replied, flying so that she was above them.

"Correct. The entire League is under the complete mental domination of Vandal Savage," the android explained. "Red Arrow seems to have been his means. His method was something Savage referred to as 'Starotech.' An alien bio-organism infused with nano-technology and magic."

Emerald hummed, "Let me guess it shuts down the mind's autonomy allowing whoever is in control to reprogram their thoughts and actions and make the person a puppet to the puppet master's control. How did you avoid being taken over completely since your brain didn't seem to be immune to it?"

"The process requires 0.16 nanoseconds to fully integrate with its host's nervous system," he looked up at her. "That delay allowed me to create an internal sub-program which would disconnect my power cells if I attempted to infect another person. Fortunately, the 'Starotech' is body specific. As John Smith I am now free of outside control."

"This 'Starotech,' it worked on super-powered humans, four flavors of alien and android, even Dr. Fate, defeating all of you without a fight," Robin looked back at him.

"Indeed. A remarkable achievement. One not easily countered."

Emerald smirked, "Well, give me an hour or two and I'm sure I could come up with one. Probably. Maybe longer if I don't get some help or have the proper equipment."

Robin sighed, "Alright, let's get to the rest of the team before we start making any rash decisions."

Everyone nodded.

Robin was silent as they neared where Sphere said Superboy was. Emerald almost didn't feel Megan's touch to let her into her mind when she spoke in reply to whatever Robin asked, _"Here, Robin. Linking both squads and decamouflaging."_

 _"Great, because we really need to compare notes,"_ Robin thought in reply as the Sphere went up into the bioship.

 _"Uh, yeah, I think I'll just stay outside for a little bit,"_ Emerald thought.

Wally looked down at her over the side, _"Come on, cos, don't let your motion sickness stop you now."_

 _"Wait, you get motion sick,"_ Superboy asked.

 _"Why do you guys think I look outside the bioship all the time when we're flying,"_ she raised an eyebrow. _"It's not for the sight that I can see any time when I'm flying."_

 _"We, uh, didn't know,"_ Artemis kind of said awkwardly.

 _"Obviously,"_ Red Arrow was probably rolling his eyes.

Emerald suddenly shot into the bioship, flew into the control room and hugged her friend, _"Roy!"_

 _"Uh, hey, Em,"_ he patted her back kind of awkwardly.

She pulled away and held a hand to her mouth, _"And motion sickness kicking in."_

The others sighed. Why hadn't they noticed this before?

Emerald flew into the Watchtower from the bioship, grateful to be in control of where she was going again. She joined the others around Robin who had pulled up a holographic image of the place on his gauntlet, _"RT did it. Wirelessly bypassed security for us as soon as he arrived. Savage shouldn't know we're here."_

 _"Move out,"_ Aqualad stated. Emerald nodded and flew down a hallway. She stayed in the shadows as a Black Lantern, avoiding the Justice League members for she had a different mission. Moon Knight had gone with one of the others to help them so she could move without being seen. So far so good on that point.

She reached the main room just as Red Arrow, Red Tornado, and Black Canary were taken out. Her uniform became green once more as she walked forward, this time her presence wasn't to be hidden. Klarion and Savage both looked at her as she looked over to see Hal on the ground, hopefully that meant he was safe from control now. The other Justice League members did nothing as she moved forward.

"I see they brought you along, too bad you aren't on our team," Klarion commented earning a questioning look from Savage.

"Well, what can I say, green just suits me better," she asked. "Probably the red hair and Irish ancestry. Dang leprechauns, am I right?"

Savage put back on a stoic look, "Klarion, why aren't you attacking her?"

"What can I say, she's interesting," the Lord of Chaos stated, earning a meow of agreement from Teekl. "So, Emerald, what brings you here?"

"Just a simple question," she replied, bringing out the piece of Starotech she'd kept. "Who helped you create this little chip? I recognized your magic the moment it touched one of my constructs."

"Oh, just the Brain and Ivo," he said nonchalantly, looking at the screens surrounding him to make sure he was still in control. "I wanted T.O. Morrow, but apparently he was unavailable."

She nodded in understanding, "Kind of happens when you're on your death bed. Though if I were you I would've made it much harder to figure out the cure for it. Seriously, it was almost too easy once we found a few properly trained sorcerers."

"You helped come up with the cure," Savage seemed surprised, walking toward her.

"Yup," she said, popping the 'p.' "And I have to say I was really disappointed in your creation. I mean, you didn't make it to where it could adapt when provided an opponent? Made it too easy to keep them from being infected a second time."

"I see, we'll keep that in mind for next time," he muttered.

Emerald shrugged, "Good luck with that. The 'Curotech,' as Kid Flash has taken to calling it, is self-adaptive. Present it with an opponent and it'll overwhelm any outside control."

"We'll just have to find someone smarter than you."

She chuckled, "Don't mean to brag, but good luck with that as well. Now, you might want to defend yourselves."

Klarion snapped his head back to the controls as Savage went to punch her and she ducked down only to receive a kick to the face. She flew back as the main Justice League members, the founders, began to run to attack her team that she could hear arriving. When she straightened she held her jaw, "Seriously? Attacking a girl? Forget any records that said you were a gentleman."

She created a fist and sent it at him and he dodged, "So predictable. Just like your mentor."

"Perhaps, but I'm different," she smirked as she glanced at Hal. The thoughts of what they probably could've made him do fueled her rage and without even really trying she became a Red Lantern.

Savage seemed surprised once more, she was probably the only one in this century to get him to show this much emotion, as she created a chain and flung it at him. He grunted as she let it wrap around him and then swung him as she flew a little higher before slamming him into the ground. Standing, as though unaffected, he looked up as she flew down with a chainsaw. He caught the construct and merely twisted his hands to break it.

His fist came up and she went into the air at the force and then was sent back when Klarion hit her with a bolt of magic. She looked at the Lord of Chaos in surprise, he should know what that would do for her, right? Shrugging she created a hammer and went at Savage. He seemed prepared to be unaffected only to be surprised when her hammer hit him and the ground cracked even more underneath him.

Klarion chuckled, "Oops, seems I've forgotten that magic adds power to her ring."

"Now you tell me," Savage practically growled as she swung at him. He caught it, but still slid by quite a bit. He tried to smash it like her last construct to no effect. She smirked as she created a sword and tried to attack with it while he focused on the hammer only to have him catch it. He went to kick her but she broke away from her constructs and flew back.

"Alright, time to see my anime knowledge put to use," she smirked as she created a giant scythe. She charged at him and swung so he got caught between the shaft and blade of her weapon and swung around, hoping to throw him across the room so she could follow after him.

Instead he caught onto the shaft and slid along it. He grabbed her face and slammed her into the ground. The red light around her flickered as she groaned in pain, unable to move as her entire backside began to ache. Savage grunted, "I despise nuisances."

"How disappointing," Klarion sighed.

Savage looked at a holographic screen to see what the team had wrought while he was distracted, "Time to go."

All of the screens disappeared, "Come on, we can take 'em."

"Yes, but in the process, you'd lose control perhaps even destroy this station," Savage replied calmly, as if he hadn't almost been beaten by a sixteen-year-old girl. "And whether or not they're in our thrall the Light still needs the Justice League alive for phase two."

"I wouldn't lose control," Klarion protested as he landed with Teekl in his arms as Emerald groaned, trying to get back up. Teekl mewed. "Okay, yeah, I'd bring the chaos." He created a red portal as Emerald began to get back up, "Emerald, take good care of that ring. I expect its next owner to sway to the side of chaos."

The others arrived as Klarion's portal enveloped him and Savage. Wally immediately ran to her side and helped her stand, "You okay?"

"What do you think," she asked as her ring finally died and she was left in her civilian clothes. She stood on her own and stretched, "Yeah, I'm not getting out of bed for the next week."

"Happy New Year, Justice League," the computer suddenly said.

Emerald's eyes widened and she groaned, "Ah crap, how am I going to explain to the kids why I missed out on New Years? Someone's going to come with me to face the wrath of children later."

Wally chuckled as he picked up Artemis to kiss her. Miss Martian turned to Superboy and placed her lips on his, earning a surprised look. Zatanna grabbed Robin and pulled him into a kiss, which he seemed shocked by and seemed to be confused on how he should react. Finally, Rocket went up to Aqualad and kissed his cheek, finishing off the surprised males.

Emerald covered her eyes and turned away, "Sheesh, get a room people. This injured person doesn't need to see you guys sucking each other's faces off."

"Human customs still elude me," Red Tornado said from where his torso and head lay on the ground.

"Same here," Emerald muttered. "Anyways, someone want to help me find a Lantern battery. Or shoot me with magic. I'm good with either one at this point. Surprise me."

Moon Knight was back at her side as she wandered around the Watchtower, trying to find the Lantern battery as all the members of the League with magic refused to hit her with magic, even Doctor Fate, though they did offer to heal her injuries. She sighed as she came to another fork in the hallway. Now that she thought about it she could just ask Hal or John where their Lantern batteries were, but that would entail finding them and at the moment she wasn't very good at that.

"Emerald, are you lost," someone called and she turned to see Green Arrow, Red Arrow, and Black Canary.

"Yup," she smiled at them. "All of these hallways are starting to look identical to me. Could you help me find one of the Green Lanterns?"

"I'll help," Red offered, earning him a look from the other two. "I needed to talk to you anyways."

Canary and Green Arrow looked at each other before the archer spoke, "Alright. We'll meet you by the Zeta tubes."

"Great," Erica cheered earning a small roar of agreement from the albino panther. The older Justice League members turned away from them and left. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Well, about me being a clone," Red began uncertainly as he started to walk.

She nodded in understanding, "I take that was quite the shock for you, hmm?" He nodded. "Well, don't worry about it, Roy, you're-"

"I'm not Roy," he interrupted. "Not the real one at any rate. That's what I wanted to talk to you about: I want your help in finding him."

Her green eyes looked up at him in surprise, "Not Roy my butt. Look I don't care if you're a clone or not, you're still my friend and I won't let you just decide that it shouldn't be just because you aren't the 'real' Roy Harper. Whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me now and that won't change no matter what. Now, as for finding the 'real' Roy Harper, you can count me in…on one condition."

"What's that," he asked.

"You go with me to the children's hospital later and visit the kids as Red Arrow," she stated. "I'm going to have a lot of kids angry with me that I wasn't there for when the new year began so I'm going to need your help to calm them down. Besides, they're always up for a visit from a superhero."

He shook his head, "I'm not a hero."

She smacked the back of his head causing him to stumble forward, "Don't be a numbskull like Wally, okay? You're a hero no matter what, got it? Or do I have to beat some sense into you?"

Red chuckled, "No, ma'am."

"Good, now let's find someone who'll help me get power into my ring," she began to quicken her pace. "The sooner we get that done the sooner we can visit the kids and the sooner we visit the kids the sooner we can find Roy. Nope, still doesn't sound quite right."

Roy looked after her as she walked further ahead. He wished that he had told her how he felt months ago, but now he realized that these shouldn't be his feelings. These should be Roy's. The real Roy. He didn't deserve to be with someone like Emerald, not when he wasn't even the real thing. He was just a copy.

"Oi, numbskull, you coming," Erica shouted back at him as Moon Knight began to nudge his leg to help quicken his pace.

"Yeah I'm coming."

He'd have to find Roy soon if he wanted the original to take his place back on the team. He was coming Roy.


	24. Chapter 24

_Murderer. Murderer. Murderer._

Erica shot up in a cold sweat, knocking off her Ravenclaw comforter in her haste and falling after it. That word was still ringing through her mind as her heart race, her head pounded, and her breathing became uneven. She laid on the ground, staring at her ceiling as she tried to focus on anything other than her nightmare.

Someone knocked on her door, causing her ring to activate as her eyes widened and her mind feared the worst, forgetting where she was. The person knocked again, "Erica, are you okay, honey?"

Relaxing and letting her Green Lantern uniform disappear as she recognized her aunt's voice and her setting registered in her mind, "Y-yeah, just fell off my bed."

"Alright, then," her aunt didn't sound very convinced. "Well come down soon, okay? Breakfast is ready for you, after all, today's a very big day."

It was? Erica turned to the calendar she had by her desk and checked the date: May 4th. She didn't think her aunt and uncle celebrated Star War's day, her parents had however.

Shrugging her shoulders, she ran a hand through her tangled red hair as she pushed away the remnants of her dream and went over to the bathroom across the hall. Shutting the door and turning on the light she blinked in surprise at her reflection in the mirror. Her skin was flushed and sweat coated her skin. She let out a shaky breath and turned on the cold water, cupping some in her hands before splashing herself in the face. The bitter cold was refreshing against her warm face and she let it drip off of her into the sink while she counted silently in her head.

After a few moments she straightened and grabbed a towel to dry herself before leaving to go downstairs, not bothering to change out of her pajamas since it was Saturday. She moved wearily toward the kitchen; her green eyes not holding their usual gleam as if she had the entire world on her shoulders, even her back was slouched over as if it was a real and tangible burden.

Entering her destination, she frowned in confusion at the sight. On the wooden table was an array of her favorite foods: pancakes, bacon, hash browns, and some breakfast burritos with the various toppings ready and waiting. Despite all that what really caught her sight was the presents sitting on the counter top. She didn't think her aunt and uncle celebrated Star Wars day nor, for that matter, exchange gifts on such a day.

"Oh, there you are," her aunt entered the room through another door holding another present in her hands. "I was worried you would lock yourself in your room all day."

"Why would I," Erica asked, straightening up. "And what is all…this?"

Her uncle entered, "Well, you're seventeen now. Why wouldn't we celebrate?" Her eyes widened in realization. "You forgot didn't you?"

"Uh, maybe," Erica shifted on her feet in embarrassment. She had never really cared when her birthday came around, but this was the first time she'd actually forgotten that it was today.

"Now, come on, eat some breakfast and then go meet up with your cousin at your little clubhouse," her aunt called. Erica felt her heart clench with worry, hopefully Wally had forgotten too and hadn't told the others. Not likely, but she could hope.

With a silent sigh, she sat down to eat, dreading the day ahead.

Everything was silent in the base when she walked in. The lights were off and she could barely make out the figures of her team and some other people. She sighed, "Please tell me that this isn't going to be like-"

"Surprise!"

The lights flicked on revealing the small party that her team had set up. There were some balloons, a cake, a tray of brownies, and some ice cream. An entire table was covered in presents that were brought by all those who had attended: her teammates, Hal, the Flash, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Red Arrow, Red Tornado, and (oddly enough) Batman. While it was hilarious to see the Dark Knight with a small party hat on him, most likely put there by Flash, the entire thing made her cringe.

"Seriously, Wally," she glared at him. "You just had to tell everyone."

"What it's your seventeenth birthday, Em," he replied grabbing a plate and putting a brownie and some ice cream on it. "Enjoy it."

She sighed again, "Why couldn't you have been like me and just thought today was meant to celebrate Star Wars?" Everyone gave her a look as if to ask if she was serious. "By the way, may the fourth be with you guys."

"Come on," Hal smiled, "even Razer and Kilowog sent you something." She looked at him, a silent question in her eyes. "She's not up and running yet."

"Poor Aya," she shook her head. "Fine, let's just get this over with." Wally handed her the plate and put a party hat on her. "I'm not wearing that."

"Either that or a tiara."

"…Fine, I'll wear it."

Robin smiled, "Great, now it's time to watch some home videos."

"Wait. What now?"

After about an hour of watching some embarrassing videos of Erica while she was growing up (potty training, her first try at giving her parents a concert, etc.) it was time for presents. Unfortunately for everyone else Erica had a habit of putting things off when it came to her birthday and in this case that meant she'd unwrap a present, wad up the paper, and throw it at an unsuspecting victim before running off screaming, "You'll never take me alive, copper!" This resulted in them promptly running after her to try and get her to finish unwrapping presents.

Flash sat her down after her most recent escape, "Now, for the last time, just sit and open presents."

"Well maybe you guys shouldn't have gotten me so many," she stuck her tongue out at her uncle. "Seriously, I would've been content without any presents."

"Why do you hate your birthday so much," Superboy asked.

"It's just another day," she replied though she and Hal shared a look, knowing the real reason. The horrible memory that this day always brought back up. She turned back to the present at hand, noticing a small white box. Lifting the lid, she stared down at the card that said "Read me, first" and a small device. "Oh, look, a holovideo."

"Really," Hal asked. "Probably from Razer or Kilowog then."

Erica nodded and picked up the card, unfolding it to read what was inside she froze. Her ring activated, but instead of the usual green she was dressed in a swirling mix of yellow, red, and black. Wally called her name as she reread the single word over and over again. Her body began to shake as she stood, red finally winning over the other colors, before she shouted, "Who the **** sent this?!"

Everyone stared at her in shock as she ripped the paper in half, flame-like red energy pouring out of her eyes as she stared down at the box. No one had ever heard her cuss before or seen her this angry. Hal looked at it, "Erica, what's wrong?"

"Who sent this ****ed thing," she asked in return, each half of the paper crumpling as she curled her hands into fists.

"I don't know, Erica," he replied calmly. "But you need to calm down, how about we go watch some more videos, okay?"

She let the paper fall to the ground and grabbed the holovideo, "I need some air."

Everyone watched her fly out of the room, red streaks following her. Robin was the first to speak, "What just happened?"

"I don't know," Flash replied. "I've never seen her like that."

Hal bent down and picked up the paper, putting them together to read the word, "'Murderer.' That's what the card says."

"Why would someone send Emerald a card that says that," Miss Martian asked. "She hasn't killed anyone?"

Hal didn't reply earning a concerned glance from Flash while Batman spoke, "Hal?"

"It," he stopped as all of the Justice League members' comms beeped. "Mission, we'll continue this conversation later." He turned to the team, "Just give Emerald some time to cool off, okay? She'll tell you when she's ready."

The team looked at each other, something definitely wasn't right. The League members went over to the zeta tubes and left. Wally was the first to speak, "What the crap is going on?"

"I don't know," Robin replied, "but we need to find out."

"What's the plan then," Red Arrow, who had resigned from the League, asked.

"We should talk to Emerald," Aqualad replied. "She's the only one we'll get answers from."

Superboy looked around, "What's that beeping sound?"

Everyone paused, but before they could say anything, the box (that the holovideo had come in) exploded.

Emerald had climbed up a tree and was sitting on one of the branches. Her suit was no longer red and had instead become black as she watched the video again and again. She hated herself while watching it because it confirmed what that note had said of her. She was a murderer.

A buzzing noise reached her ears and she turned to see another box being flown to her using a small toy helicopter. She reached out and took hold of the box, a stoic façade on her face to hide all of her pain from the memory. When she had the box, the helicopter fell to the ground as if someone had cut off its power source. Glancing at it wearily, she unwrapped the "gift" and looked at the holovideo. What would this one show her?

With a sigh, she turned it on and activated the holographic screen. At first there was nothing but black before a voice spoke, **_"Hello, Emerald Lantern."_** She tensed at the voice that obviously using a filter. **_"You are a murderer that needs to be brought to justice and I know exactly how to do so. If you wish to let your friends live you will do exactly as I say. Further instructions will be sent to you at a later time."_**

The holovideo ended and worry filled her. Dropping both devices, she jumped off of her branch and flew back to base. No one was there when she entered and there was a single note on the ground.

 _Your turn._

"I don't know what to do," Erica paced her bedroom, running her hands through her hair while Justin sat on her bed and watched her. "I can't let them die, but I don't want to do anything illegal if that's what this person asks."

"Why do they insist that you're a murderer," Justin asked. She froze. "Erica, you can tell me."

She sighed and sat down beside him, "It was when I first found out about how my ring could go between the Lantern Corps. My mentor and I were investigating a sector of space that had recently lost its Green Lantern as there were a lot of stories about Sech pirates in the area. The Sech were a species that lived on a planet that had no atmosphere so they were able to move through space with no life support."

"They sound dangerous."

"They were."

"Were?"

"Whenever the Sech show up many species liked to annihilate the group before the Green Lantern Corps could show up so at the time there was only one group left and they had turned to piracy. We were hoping to get them to a safe haven before someone wiped them out, but the Sechs didn't like that. They started to fight us and we were trying to merely knock them out and then…Hal got hit." Emerald gripped the fabric of her pants tightly. "I thought he was dead and I was so…angry that I couldn't see straight. Next thing I know Hal was shaking my shoulders and all the Sechs were dead. I couldn't remember what had happened until later: I had turned into a Red Lantern and lost control resulting in a massacre that I was responsible for.

"I'm a murderer," she whispered, refusing to look him in the eye.

Justin grabbed her hand, "Hey, it's not your fault, you had no idea what your ring could do and you thought that your mentor was dead."

"That doesn't make it right or take away the blood from my hands," she replied. Justin was about to speak when they heard a whirring noise and looked as a toy helicopter came in through the open window holding another box. Erica sighed, "Whoever he is knows about it and likes to use holovideos."

"Let's see what he wants," Justin said.

Erica nodded and took the package, ignoring the toy that fell to the floor as she opened it and started to play the video. A picture of the team popped up all of them constrained in various ways. Aqualad and Miss Martian were surrounded by fire with a jet of water occasionally spraying them; Robin, Red Arrow, and Artemis were dangling over a tank that had an alien species of fauna that looked like a literal tiger shark swimming around in it; Kid and Rocket were encased in stone; Zatanna was being held in a cell made from a black rock that probably negated her magic; and Superboy was in a cage that was laced with glowing Kryptonite.

 ** _"This is my proof to you that your beloved teammates are alive, for now. At 6:30 in Earth time, come to the address on the card. Any sooner and I will kill them. At the address will be a card with their location and further instructions."_**

Emerald sighed as the video ended, "Guess I'll have to wait. He apparently knows who I am."

"Let me help you," Justin offered. Erica gave him an incredulous look. "Look, he'll be expecting you to come alone and if I'm there, you can deal with him and I can free your teammates."

She stopped, "Wait, was he speaking English?"

"Yeah, why," Justin asked.

"Not very many people on Earth know about the Sechs, so that means whoever is doing this is either an alien or has connections to an alien. If it is an alien then that means that they have a universal translator or their own ring," she stood. "In any case that allows me to make a few plans."

"Great, what's the plan," Justin asked.

She looked at him, "You're staying here and I'm going to play along with what they want."

"What," he asked. "You still think that you can handle this alone."

"I've fought evil alternate versions of me, I'm pretty sure I can handle him by myself," she replied. "Besides, you have no training and no powers, this isn't going to be like football."

Justin sank down, "Perhaps you're right."

She sighed, "Thank you for the offer, but I don't need another friend in danger because of this. This is my problem and I need to fix it."

"Fine, I guess I'll go home if you don't need me," he stood and before Emerald could say anything he was out the door.

She sighed and sat down, watching her clock to will time to move faster. Meanwhile, Justin exited her house and looked up at the window. She'd probably hate him later, but he wouldn't just sit by idly while others could be danger, whether they had powers or not. He pulled out an item of Wally's, who he had figured out was actually Kid Flash, and then touched the ground.

Several images flashed through his mind: a road sign in Central City, a warehouse, stairs leading downstairs, and series of doors with the third one on the left open. Standing back up he began walking to his destination. He was coming.


End file.
